Information Literacy Defined

The Elizabeth Huth Coates Library offers expert research instruction across the disciplines in order to provide the Trinity community with the skills and knowledge to expertly identify, find, and evaluate information. This set of skills is known as information literacy.

Students use components of information literacy at different levels (first-year versus senior) and each discipline relies on different aspects of information literacy. Therefore, the best overall result comes from interweaving the concepts throughout the curriculum.

Why is this so important?

College students are living in the information age, experiencing rapid technological change every day. Students are facing an ever increasing number of information resources, much of which is unfiltered information. They need to be able to understand and evaluate information, both in print and electronic formats. According to the Association of College & Research Libraries, there is "an uncertain quality and expanding quantity" of information available (2000).

Other Information Literacy Programs

Associated Colleges of the South (ACS). Information Fluency

Association of College and Research Libraries: Information Literacy Initiative

Five Colleges of Ohio. Integrating Information Literacy into the Liberal Arts Curriculum. Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant

Information Literacy at Beloit College

Smith College Libraries. Information Literacy

Read More About Information Literacy

Shapiro, Jeremy J. and Shelley K. Hughes. "Information Literacy as a Liberal Art." Educom Review 31, 2 (March 1996)

Questions?
Contact Michelle S. Millet, Information Literacy Coordinator