Information Literacy: Home & Mission Statement

Albright College is committed to maintaining the highest standards of information literacy and creative thinking in both its curriculum and its campus culture. The Albright College Gingrich Library provides comprehensive information literacy modules and works diligently with faculty to intergrate the standards set forth by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).

Mission Statement

Assignments -- Asignments, IL Modules and IL tutorials 

ACRL Framework--The new ACRL Framework that replaces the standards

The Old Standards- the ACRL division of the American Library Association has set the highest standards for College and University level Information Literacy. These standards have since been rescinded and replaced with the ACRL Framework.

Getting Assistance -- Who to contact to get assistance.

Mission Philosophy

The Information Literacy Program provides information literacy instruction and training based upon the needs of students, faculty, and staff and promotes effective use of library resources and technology. 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." Information literacy is fundamental and is an integral part of the academic experience.

Objectives

1. To utilize various teaching strategies and methodologies to meet individual differences in learning, including level, style, and culture as recommended in the Information Literacy Competency Standards of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).
2. To present instruction in formal and informal settings and to respond to the total educational process of the academic community.
3. To promote lifelong learning by the teaching of concepts over skills. Focus is placed on instructional methods that will help users learn, select, and evaluate library materials appropriate for their needs.

Service Priorities

1. Emphasis is placed on the teaching of concepts over library skills to educate information-literate lifelong learners.
2. Course-integrated instruction is paramount and must be connected with a real academic need; therefore, instruction is more effective than stand-alone information literacy courses or disconnected tours and library orientations.
3. To show the importance and value of instruction, faculty members must attend the instruction session, unless other arrangements are made with the liaison librarian.
4. The librarians' goals must be interconnected with the faculty's course goals and curricular needs.
5. Information literacy instruction and any further student activity must help to achieve a faculty member's course objectives.

Service Mandates

1. Helping students and faculty acquire and use information-literate research strategies is our primary responsibility.
2. Helping staff acquire and use information-literate research strategies is our secondary responsibility.
3. Helping alumni and community patrons acquire and use information literate research strategies will happen as time and resources permit.

Accompanying Documents & Procedures

• ACRL/ALA Information Literacy homepage
• Information Literacy Standards Toolkit -- Step-by-step introduction to each of the 5 Standards, the Performance Indicators for each Standard and the Outcomes for each Performance Indicator from ACRL
• Information Literacy for Faculty and Administrators -- general information on Information Literacy from ALA
• Information Literacy - Instructional Guidelines -- Albright College guidelines for requesting instructional sessions