Information Literacy
The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) defines information literacy as
the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.
The University of Missouri Libraries are dedicated to the development of a university community that is information literate. We believe that every MU student should graduate with the ability to:
- Identify issues and problems important to society, define their scope, and identify information needed to address them.
- Find existing sources of information on a topic.
- Evaluate the accuracy, validity, and reliability of information presented in a wide variety of media.
- Conduct appropriately focused library, field or laboratory research.
- Organize information, data, and ideas for further analysis and/or presentation.
Our librarians offer expert research instruction across the disciplines in order to provide the MU community with the skills and knowledge to expertly identify, find, evaluate, and ethically use information.
The Framework for Information Literacy
Our instruction program is informed by the six core concepts addressed in ACRL's Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015):
- Authority is Constructed and Contextual
Information resources reflect their creators’ expertise and credibility, and are evaluated based on the information need and the context in which the information will be used. Authority is constructed in that various communities may recognize different types of authority. It is contextual in that the information need may help to determine the level of authority required.
- Information Creation as a Process
Information in any format is produced to convey a message and is shared via a selected delivery method. The iterative processes of researching, creating, revising, and disseminating information vary, and the resulting product reflects these differences.
- Information Has Value
Information possesses several dimensions of value, including as a commodity, as a means of education, as a means to influence, and as a means of negotiating and understanding the world. Legal and socioeconomic interests influence information production and dissemination.
- Research as Inquiry
Research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions whose answers in turn develop additional questions or lines of inquiry in any field.
- Scholarship as Conversation
Communities of scholars, researchers, or professionals engage in sustained discourse with new insights and discoveries occurring over time as a result of varied perspectives and interpretations.
- Searching as Strategic Exploration
Searching for information is often nonlinear and iterative, requiring the evaluation of a range of information sources and the mental flexibility to pursue alternate avenues as new understanding develops.
