Information Literacy at San Diego State University

Standards | Assessment | Incorporation into the Curriculum | Assignments | Additional Resources

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What is Information Literacy?

Information Literacy is a set of lifelong learning skills that expands far beyond the walls of the academic library. Some think of Information Literacy as how we interact with information or learning to learn. At a minimum, information literate individuals are fluent in 21st century information and technology skills, demonstrated by their ability to:

• articulate a research question and information need;
• determine the scope, type, and depth of information needed;
• evaluate information for its credibility and appropriateness to the current task and information need;
• synthesize and place new information into context of their own knowledge base;
• use various information and educational technologies to effectively retrieve and communicate information appropriately;
• demonstrate that they can use information ethically and legally.

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What's in a Name?

Information Literacy is also frequently referred to as Information Competence, Information Literacy Competence, or, more recently, Information Fluency. Many discussions have taken place in librarianship over the semantics and linguistic implications of these terms; however, at present, each is essentially used interchangeably.

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Graduating Lifelong Learners

Graduating information literate students requires close collaboration across campus. The Library welcomes feedback, questions, and collaboration opportunities from all faculty, staff, students, and administrators.

For more information about Information Literacy, please contact your librarian liaison in the library, or the Information Literacy Librarian:

Pamela A. Jackson, Information Literacy Librarian
Library & Information Access, LA1101C
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA, 92182-8050
Tel: (619) 594-3809
Fax: (619) 594-3270
pjackson@rohan.sdsu.edu