Statement on information literacy for all Australians

ALIA objects addressed

To promote the free flow of information and ideas in the interest of all Australians and a thriving culture, economy and democracy.

Principle

A thriving national and global culture, economy and democracy will best be advanced by people who are empowered in all walks of life to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively to achieve their personal, social, occupational and educational goals. It is a basic human right in a digital world and promotes social inclusion within a range of cultural contexts. (Alexandria Proclamation 2005)

Statement

Information literacy can contribute to:

• learning for life;
• the creation of new knowledge;
• acquisition of skills;
• personal, vocational, corporate and organisational empowerment;
• social inclusion;
• participative citizenship; and
• innovation and enterprise.

Therefore, as a matter of priority, and at all levels, library and information services professionals embrace a responsibility to promote and facilitate the development of the information literacy of their clients. They will support government, and the corporate community, professional, educational and trade union sectors, and all Australians.

Related documents

Alexandria Proclamation on Information Literacy and Life Long Learning, Egypt, 2005
http://www.ifla.org/III/wsis/High-Level-Colloquium.pdf [679kb pdf]

ASLA Statement on Information Literacy, adopted 1994
http://www.asla.org.au/policy/p_infol.htm

Australian and New Zealand Information Literacy Framework, Adelaide, 2004
http://www.anziil.org/resources/Info lit 2nd edition.pdf [408kb pdf]

UNESCO/IFLA School Library Manifesto
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/libraries/manifestos/school_manifesto.html