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ACE1742: Information ResourcesWeek 2: Information Literacy

Verity BrackInstitute for Lifelong LearningUniversity of Sheffield

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Information literacyWhat is information literacy (IL)?Are you information literate?Why is it important?

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Assoc. College & Research Libraries

In Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (2000) said:

‘An information literate student Accesses information efficiently & effectively Evaluates information critically &

competently Uses information accurately & creatively’

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Users needInformation gathering strategiesCritical thinking skillsIT skills & library skills‘Information literacy describes the process of information seeking and information use competencies; allows student to become an effective learner’

G.Byerly & C.Brodie ‘Information literacy skills models’ in B.K.Stripling

‘Learning & Libraries in an Information Age’ 1999

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The IL Student1. Can locate information2. Can accessing information3. Can evaluate information

Use: IT skills Library skills People skills

Information Literacy model

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SCONULSociety of College, National & University Libraries

1. Recognise need2. Address gap3. Strategies for

locating4. Locate & access5. Compare &

evaluate6. Organise, apply,

communicate7. Synthesise &

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Steps in IL1. Recognise need2. Locate3. Access4. Evaluate5. Organise6. Use

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Issues to considerCurrency – how up-to-dateLongevityImmediacy – how urgentEase of use/interfaceAccessibilityEase of searching contentPriceRole of publisher

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Available sources Books, including reference books: dictionaries, directories,

encyclopaedias, statistics (tables) Journals – magazines, newspapers Internet/Web Media – audio, video Informal sources – ‘grey’ literature People!

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Print formats [text based]Monographs single written work, e.g. book has a definite structure, eg, contents

pages, chapter headings, indexSerials published on an ongoing, regular

basis e.g. magazines, periodicals, journals

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Conference papers Papers relating to

conference/convention/symposium May include pre-prints, proceedings,

conference recordsManuscripts E.g. novels, poems, letters, notebooksIncunabula Early printed books

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Grey literature Publications that are not easily

identified or accessed via usual sources e.g. conference proceedings, theses,

company reports, local records, unpublished research papers, conference proceedings

Ephemera Often disposable, single sheets; not

considered as publications e.g. pamphlets, flyers, forms, posters

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Print formats [non-text]Maps and chartsImages Microforms Microfilm Microfiche Microprint/microcard

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Audio-visualAudioImages still, moving with/without sound

Artefacts often in museums, may be housed in

libraries Special collections e.g. National Fairground

Archive

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Electronic resources Electronic journals & books Databases Discussion groups/lists/blogs etc. Papers & documents News Organisations (incl. libraries) Teaching & learning materials Search tools

Aids to finding informationLibrary Standard source of information Library catalogues Common ‘finding aid’ Everyone should know how to use one Every item in a collection has a

catalogue record

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Catalogue recordLane, Elizabeth S.Internet Primer for Information Professionals:A Basic Guide to Internet Networking

Technology/ Elizabeth Lane & Craig Summerhill

Publisher Westport, Conn. ; London : Meckler, 1993

ISBN: 0-88736-831-XInternet (Computer network)

Shelfmark: SGL STORE 004.67 (L)http://www.oclc.org/dewey/resources/summaries/deweysummaries.pdf

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