Information Literacy

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education defines information literacy as the ability to:

• determine the nature and extent of needed information;
• access information effectively and efficiently;
• evaluate critically the sources and content of information;
• incorporate selected information in the learner's knowledge base and value system
• use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose;
• understand the economic, legal and social issues surrounding the use of information and information technology; and
• observe laws, regulations, and institutional policies related to the access and use of information.

Source: Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education. 12th ed. Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 2006. http://www.msche.org/publications/CHX06060320124919.pdf

The Manhattan College Library, in addition to offering individual assistance at the reference desk and group tours for new students, provides information literacy instruction in several ways:

• Information literacy tutorial,
• Introduction to information literacy classes for English 106, 110, 210 students,
• Advanced classes on specialized resources for upper division undergraduates or graduate students,
• Term Paper Center.

In an information literacy class, a librarian may take a sample topic through several steps in library research including stating a research problem, selecting search terms, searching the online catalog, consulting reference sources, accessing library databases and the Internet, and evaluating the search results. Librarians may also describe access to resources beyond the college library. A good time for such instruction is when students are starting work on a term paper.

Faculty members may request information literacy instruction for their classes by contacting one of the following librarians: