Exploring information literacy meaning

Wednesday 3 September 2003

The flavour of the month at most academic institutions that I've seen and heard of are attempting to embed Information Literacy aspects within the curricula, and aligning it with 'core graduate attributes' (or insert your institutions' buzz phrase). I've heard a number of papers presented over the years of hearing how librarians and academics and teachers are working together towards this common goal.

Like most academic institutions we're on the bandwagon too, and like some of the comments presented so far I too have considered where is the duty of care. How does one define if a graduate has/has not achieve these attributes/competencies. And how does that translate not just to the workplace as such, but to everyday life. Dare we await a test case where an institution is taken to court for not providing their duty of care and outcome to a graduate?

I align more with a life long learning type concept, I think, where regardless of being a librarian, a parent, a workplace buddy, whatever we can contribute to a person's information literacy at that time and place, but it is always an evolving thing. We can never be all knowing. We are always learning new things. We can't really teach/contribute to those who don't want to learn/hear/accept.

So I guess I think that regardless of being a librarian or not....we can choose to drive and advocate IL where ever we are and in what ever we do. The measurement and evaluation to a certain extent rests with the individual. e.g. the little darling who does a Google search and gets and answer might be happy with that. I'm raving on ... better get back to work... It'd be nice to hear what others are thinking...

Mr. Graeme Oke
Science subject liaison librarian
Victoria University of Technology

As a relatively new librarian who has experience in university and now the TAFE sector, I recognise the value TAFE can play between university IL and workplace IL.

At Southbank we have a mix of students, some who are preparing for taking the step to university while others are moving on to workplaces such as bakeries, butchers, florists, retail etc. As a tafe library we need teach all the students how to find information but we need to cater the IL classes to suit the subject areas of the students. The butchers and bakers, I am sure didn't start their course believing they would be using the library that much, and to be honest I am not sure they are that keen to be there when they do come, particular if their class is scheduled in the afternoon and they have been baking since the crack of dawn. However, they have a large information need, to ensure the food products follow safey standards and are labelled correctly. The information sources we direct them to are critical to their industries and they need to learn to access them when they are working, particular as standards will change. Personally I hope we are teaching good information habits for our food providers because they knowledge they gain will ensure that us the consumers are safe.

Elizabeth Smith
Liaison librarian
Communication and general education
Southbank/COTAH campus

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