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Faculty Resources for Research Instruction: Home

Request a Guide

The librarians are happy to create web-based research guides to meet the needs of our faculty and students.  Just send an e-mail describing what you would find useful and your request will be routed to the appropriate librarian.

For in-person research assistance go to our Get Help page.

Information Literacy

What is Information Literacy?

According to the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), an information literate individual is one who is able to:

  • Determine the extent of information needed;
  • Access the needed information effectively and efficiently;
  • Evaluate information and its sources critically;
  • Incorporate selected information into one's knowledge base;
  • Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose;
  • Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and to access and use information ethically and legally.

"Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to 'recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.'"

[From the Association of College and Research Libraries' Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (2000), quoting the American Library Association's Presidential Committee on Information Literacy: Final Report (1989)]