Information literacy is most succinctly defined as the set of integrated abilities encompassing the discovery of information, the understanding of the authority of the information in how it is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.
For students to be information literate, they need to be able to navigate the library and our electronic and print information resources; they need to be able to evaluate, analyze, and synthesize information to come to conclusions; and they need to be familiar with computers and computer applications not only to find and retrieve information but also to communicate their findings.
Lifelong learning is also encouraged through the promotion of information literacy. Students develop an appreciation of how these skills will assist them in their future coursework and careers, along with developing an understanding of the impact information has on society and their lives.
Adapted from Virginia Tech University Libraries and the Association of College and Research Libraries.
Liz Cashman
Head of Information Literacy & Instructional Services
elizabeth.cashman@wne.edu
413-782-1537
Mike Mannheim
Health Sciences Librarian
mike.mannheim@wne.edu
413-782-1534
The goals of the Information Literacy Program at D'Amour Library are to develop in Western New England students:
The ability to use information in an ethical and legal manner.
These goals are reflected in the General University Requirements of Western New England University.
Each College will specify a requirement to ensure that students learn key information literacy skills.
The Information Literacy Program at D'Amour Library offers a modular workshop approach, comprised of modules responding to General College Requirements and Association of College and Research Libraries' Framework for Information Literacy. Four workshops are integrated into the First Year Program, including two sessions in the First Year Seminar courses, and two in ENGL133. Discipline-specific workshops aim to build on information literacy skills from the First Year Program. These modules address the students' progression from first year student through graduate student, where they have repeat opportunities to seek, evaluate and manage information at various academic levels and with various discipline based sources.
