Examining Information Literacy in Academic Libraries

Examining Information Literacy in Academic Libraries

Author: Chizwina, Sabelo

Publisher: IGI Global

Published: 2024-04-09

Total Pages: 329

ISBN-13:

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In the 21st century, information literacy emerges as the cornerstone of educational development. Despite its paramount significance, a stark reality persists — students often traverse the corridors of academia without acquiring essential information literacy skills. This deficiency is exacerbated by a shortage of faculty training, leaving academic libraries to shoulder the responsibility of cultivating information-savvy individuals. Examining Information Literacy in Academic Libraries delves into the core challenges and solutions surrounding this critical educational imperative. This book illuminates the role of academic libraries as bastions of information literacy instruction. The capacity of students and information consumers to seek, evaluate, and utilize information is paramount for informed decision-making ethically and legally. Regardless of whether or not students were brought up in the digital age, many lack the fundamental information literacy skills required for higher education. This deficiency manifests in academic malpractices, such as plagiarism, which compromise the integrity of educational institutions. Moreover, this imperative work contends that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is not a distant concept but a present reality. The recent global upheaval caused by the Coronavirus pandemic accelerated the adoption of new technologies, necessitating a swift reassessment of our collective ability to navigate this everchanging digital and information landscape. Focusing on media literacy, data literacy, and digital literacy, with information literacy as the overarching domain, this book serves as a beacon for educators, librarians, and policymakers.


Foundations of Information Literacy

Foundations of Information Literacy

Author: Natalie Greene Taylor

Publisher: American Library Association

Published: 2021-11-15

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 0838938124

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It’s not hyperbole to conclude that in today’s world, information literacy is essential for survival and success; and also that, if left unchecked, the social consequences of widespread misinformation and information illiteracy will only continue to grow more dire. Thus its study must be at the core of every education. But while many books have been written on information literacy, this text is the first to examine information literacy from a cross-national, cross-cultural, and cross-institutional perspective. From this book, readers will learn about information literacy in a wide variety of contexts, including academic and school libraries, public libraries, special libraries, and archives, through research and literature that has previously been siloed in specialized publications; come to understand why information literacy is not just an issue of information and technology, but also a broader community and societal issue; get an historical overview of advertising, propaganda, disinformation, misinformation, and illiteracy; gain knowledge of both applied strategies for working with individuals and for addressing the issues in community contexts; find methods for combating urgent societal ills caused and exacerbated by misinformation; and get tools and techniques for advocacy, activism, and self-reflection throughout one’s career.


Research 2.0 and the Future of Information Literacy

Research 2.0 and the Future of Information Literacy

Author: Tibor Koltay

Publisher: Chandos Publishing

Published: 2016-01-22

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 0081000898

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Research 2.0 and the Future of Information Literacy examines possible congruencies between information literacy and Research 2.0, because the work of today’s researcher mobilizes a number of literacies. From among the various types of relevant literacies, at least three types of literacies can be mentioned in this relation: information literacy, scientific literacy and academic literacy. This book addresses these literacies in the light of the changing research landscape. Broad contexts of the researcher’s abilities, as adaptive and innovative thinking, problem solving skills, self-management and design mindset are also examined. Computational thinking and the computational paradigm in a number of fields of research are taken into consideration, as well. Researchers differ to non-researchers when populating social media, which means that these two different groups require different literacies. The relationship between information literacy and information is approached in a new way. Among the multitude of issues, we introduce a new interface between information literacy and Research 2.0. It encompasses the issues of research data management and data literacy, which represent also a challenge both for the academic library and for the communities of researchers. Similarly, the questions of new metrics of scientific output are addressed in the book. Summarizes the most important and up-to date approaches towards Research 2.0, including researchers’ skills and abilities, the data-intensive paradigm of scientific research, open science, not forgetting about factors that inhibit a wider uptake of Research 2.0 Discusses the nature of information literacy in the light of its definitions, declarations and related frameworks and by outlining the new literacies context, reading and writing, the cultural context, and the turns of library and information science Numerous literacies, other than information literacy, its relationship to information overload and personal information management are also subject of the book Theoretical and practical perspectives are given to enable the understanding of the transformations of information literacy and its relationship to Research 2.0


Critical Information Literacy

Critical Information Literacy

Author: Annie Downey

Publisher: Library Juice Press

Published: 2016-07-11

Total Pages: 206

ISBN-13: 9781634000246

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"Provides a snapshot of the current state of critical information literacy as it is enacted and understood by academic librarians"--


Developing Information Literacy Skills

Developing Information Literacy Skills

Author: Janine Carlock

Publisher: University of Michigan Press ELT

Published: 2020-05-04

Total Pages: 121

ISBN-13: 0472037668

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Developing Information Literacy Skills provides guidance and practice in the skills needed to find and use valid and appropriate sources for a research project. Anyone who does academic research at any level can benefit from ways to improve their information literacy skills. This text has been structured around the six critical elements of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education, contextualizing these elements by fitting them into the research and writing process. The book focuses on providing students with the critical-thinking and problem-solving skills needed to: (1) identify the conversation that exists around a topic, (2) clarify their own perspective on that topic, and (3) efficiently and effectively read and evaluate what others have said that can inform their perspective and research. The critical-thinking and problem-solving skills practiced here are good preparation for what students will encounter in their academic and professional lives. As an experienced writing instructor, the author has evaluated the final written products of hundreds of students who were trained through one-shot workshops and first-year introductory courses. She has applied that knowledge to create the tasks in this book so that students have the skills to successfully find, evaluate, and use sources and then produce a paper that incorporates valid research responsibly and effectively.


Meeting the Challenge of Teaching Information Literacy

Meeting the Challenge of Teaching Information Literacy

Author: Michelle Reale

Publisher: American Library Association

Published: 2020-07-23

Total Pages: 123

ISBN-13: 083894714X

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While the profession has generated many books on information literacy, none to date have validated exactly why it is so difficult to teach. In her new book, Reale posits that examining and reflecting on the reality of those factors is what will enable practitioners to meet the challenge of their important mandate. Using the same warm and conversational tone as in her previous works, she uses personal anecdotes to lay out the key reasons that teaching information literacy is so challenging, from the limited amount of time given to instructors and lack of collaboration with faculty to one’s own anxieties about the work; examines how these factors are related and where librarians fit in; validates readers’ struggles and frustrations through an honest discussion of the emotional labor of librarianship, including “imposter syndrome,” stress, and burnout; offers a variety of approaches, strategies, and topics of focus that will assist readers in their daily practice; looks at how a vibrant community of practice can foster positive change both personally and institutionally; and presents “Points to Ponder” at the end of each chapter that encourage readers to self-reflect and then transform personal insights into action.


Conceptions and Practice of Information Literacy in Academic Libraries

Conceptions and Practice of Information Literacy in Academic Libraries

Author: Paulette A. Kerr

Publisher:

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 372

ISBN-13:

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This research was conducted to investigate the relationships between conceptions and practice of information literacy in academic libraries. To create a structure for the investigation, the research adopted the framework of Argyris and Schön(1974) in which professional practice is examined via theories of action, namely espoused theories and theories-in-use. Espoused theories were examined by investigating understandings and beliefs of information literacy and learning as seen in a range of policy documents including mission and goal statements of eleven academic libraries as well as those of their parent universities. These libraries were recognized by the academic library community for exemplary instruction resources. Theories-in-use were identified by analyzing information literacy practice via online tutorials utilized by these libraries in instruction initiatives. These documents and representations of practice were augmented by semi-structured interviews conducted with practitioners of information literacy education in these libraries. A constant comparison approach (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) was used to develop broad themes, subcategories and statements of claims from these multiple data sources. Meta-claims developed provided rich descriptions towards a comprehensive, holistic picture of information literacy education. The research findings establish that information literacy education in the selected academic libraries is multi-dimensional, complex, and contradictory. The analysis revealed 1) explicit espoused theories of information literacy which coalesce around themes of knowledge creation and lifelong learning; 2) varied, less explicit and sometimes conflicting theories-in-use which emphasize engagement with information sources; 3) ad hoc levels of congruence in the relationships between espoused theories and theories-in-use as indicated by the few successful attempts to realize goals and outcomes in instruction initiatives; 4) major contradictions and incongruence in the relationships between the espoused theories and theories-in-use as indicated by significant gaps in addressing goals and missions; 5) enablers and barriers to achieving effective practice; 6) emergent trends in information literacy practice. Implications for practice include issues of pedagogy and instruction design towards consistency and congruence. The study suggests areas for future research. The research process is presented as a model and tool for evaluating varied dimensions of information literacy practice including multiple online resources and classroom initiatives.


Critical Library Instruction

Critical Library Instruction

Author: Maria T. Accardi

Publisher: Library Juice Press, LLC

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 358

ISBN-13: 1936117401

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"A collection of articles about various ways of applying critical pedagogy and related educational theories to library instruction"--Provided by publisher.