31 Information Literacy (IL) Products

Dr Arvind K Sharma

  1. Introduction

Libraries and information centres have always been treated as the repositories of public information for posterity. Library and information science (LIS) professionals work for disseminating information and knowledge through various kinds of products and services. Now LIS professionals are striving to empower the users so that they can use information resources optimally on their own. For this purpose, library and information centres and other agencies have initiated information literacy (IL) and related programmes across the world. Various organizations and individuals have been contributing in preparation of various kinds of IL products. The present module is an exercise for mapping out various types of existing academic products in India and abroad. Virkus (2003) says that ‘academic libraries have played an important role in IL developments in Europe. IL initiatives in higher education have taken a variety of forms: stand-alone courses or classes, web-based tutorials, course-related instruction, or course-integrated instruction.’ No doubt, academic libraries and other libraries have played a significant role in the development of IL programmes and in taking new initiatives. IFLA’s ‘Guidelines on Information Literacy for Lifelong Learning’ enumerates various IL related terms, such as: information fluency, user education, library instruction, bibliographic instruction, information competencies, information skills, development of information skills. It means informational materials related with these concepts come under the purview of IL products.

  1. Meaning of Product

 IL is defined in the Module 20 of this paper. Here attention is paid on IL products. Informational products can be both tangible and intangible, having basic attributes, which can be identified and recognized by the user. Each product identifiable by a brand name has some specific features. A product is always prepared to satisfy the needs of a targeted group. Various types of products have been prepared or compiled for satisfying the never-ending needs of the users.

 

 International Technology Education Association (ITEA) in its report “Standard for Technological Literacy”

defined the term product as ‘a tangible artifact produced by means of either human or mechanical work, or by biological or chemical processes’. IL products are tangible and intangible also and this definition is giving more stress on tangible artifact. Merriam-Webster Online dictionary defines ‘product’ as ‘something that is made or grown to be sold or used; something that is the result of a process; someone or something that is produced or influenced by a particular environment or experience.’ This definition is very wide and incorporates various dimensions of products.

 

In the present century, planning a product or service is a managerial skill, which also involves administrative as well as financial knowledge. Comparatively it is easier to launch or produce a product, but it is difficult to create a brand value and sell the product in a competitive market. LIS professionals have to be more specific in this regard. If planning to launch a product or service or initiatives, LIS professionals must have proper planning. Planning involves: knowledge, skill, experience, customer knowledge, information seeking behaviour of customer, knowledge of existing products, need of resources, financial requirements, etc. In this module an attempt has been made to give overall scenario of IL products.

  1. Various TyPes of IL Products

IL product is a very wide term and incorporates a variety of materials appearing in print, electronic and other forms. It is very difficult to enumerate all the categories of IL products, some of them are following :

 

3.1  Print Form IL Products

 

Information products have been appearing in print form for centuries; it is widely accepted and used by the common man to have access to information products. Even in the present electronic scenario, it is popular and used by a large number of people. Hannelore B. Rader has given an exhaustive list of various IL products in his article “Information Literacy 1973-2002: A selected literature review”. This article enumerates various IL products with full bibliographical details.

 

Some IL products, available in print form are enumerated in the following headings with bibliographical details in reverse chronological order:

 

4.1.1     Bibliographic/ literacy instruction

 

Bibliographic instruction empowers the user for locating needed information on their own. Various publications have been brought out for teaching users how to search information. Some such publications are listed below:

  • Grassian, E.S. and Kaplowitz, J.R. (2000). Information literacy instruction: Theory and practice.New York : Neal-Shuman.
  • Beaubien, A.K., Hogan, S.A. and George, M.W. (1982). Learning the library : Concepts and methods for effective bibliographic instruction. New York : R.R. Bowker.
  • Lubans, J., Jr. (Ed.). (1978). Progress in educating the library user .New York :R.R. Bowker.
  • Beeler, R. J. (1975).Evaluating library user instruction. Ann Arbor, MI : Pierian Press.
  • Lubans, J., Jr. (Ed.).(1974). Educating the library user . New York : R.R. Bowker.
  • Kirk,T. (1973). Academic library bibliographic instruction : status report-1972.Chicago : Association of College and Research Libraries.
  • 4.1.2    BibliographiesBibliography provides a list of resources. A list of bibliographical resources is enumerated below: 
  • Shih, T.C. (1986). Library instruction: A bibliography, 1975 through 1985. Jefferson, NC : McFarland.
  • Lockwood, D.L. (Ed.)(1979). Library instruction: A bibliography. Greenwood.
  • Iadanza, M.A. (1975). The development of a bibliography of library skills instructional resources. Mt. Pleasant, MI.: Central Michigan University.
  • Lockwood, D.L. (1970). Library instruction: A bibliography. Westport, CN : Greenwood Press.
  • 4.1.3    Books

    Book has always been popular medium for disseminating ideas. Various books have been published on IL related matters. A select list is given below:

  • Mackey, Thomas P. and Jacobson Trudi E. (2014) Metaliteracy : Reinventing Information Literacy toEmpower Learners. USA : ALA Neal-Schuman.
  • Davis-Kahl, S. and Hensley, M. K. (Eds). (2013). Common Ground at the Nexus of Information Literacy and Scholarly Communication. USA : ACRL.
  • Ragains, P. (Ed) (2013). Information Literacy Instruction that Works: A Guide to Teaching by Discipline and Student Population. USA : ALA Neal-Schuman.
  • Solomon, A., Wilson, G. and Taylor, T. (2012).100% Information Literacy Success. 2nd Ed. Boston, USA : Wadsworth, Cenage Learning.
  • Clark, C.C. and Mayer R.E. (2008).e-learning and the science of instruction. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
  • Allan, M. and Madigan, D. (eds), (2006). Digital Literacies for learning. London :Facet Publishing,
  • Lupton, M. (2004). The Learning Connection: Information Literacy and the Student Experience.Adelaide: Aus Lib.
  • Goad, T. W. (2002). Information literacy and workplace performance. Westport, C N : Quorum Books.
  • Deese-Roberts, S. and Keating, K. (2000). Library instruction: a peer tutoring model. Englewood, CD : Libraries Unlimited.
  • Bruce, C. (1997). The Seven Faces of Information Literacy. Blackwood: Aus Lib.
  • Breivik, P. S. and Senn, J.A. (1994). Information literacy : Educating children for the 21st century . New York : Scholastic.

CSIR published various self explanatory books on information technology under the IT literacy programme in India.

 

4.1.4  Handbooks / Manuals

 

Handbooks provide factual and pin pointed information on a specific subject or topic in a systematic order so that a user can search or locate information easily. Some relevant handbooks and manuals have been given below.

  • Cox, C N and Lindsay, E B (Ed.).(2013). Information Literacy Handbook. USA : ACRL.
  • Eisenberg, M and Berkowitz, R E (2003).The Definitive Big 6 Workshop Handbook. Wothington, OH : Linworth.
  • Kohl, D.F. (1985). Reference services and library instruction : A handbook for library management.Santa Barbara, CA : ABC-Clio.
  • ACRL : Bibliographic Instruction Section. (1983). Evaluating bibliographic instruction : A handbook. Chicago : American Library Association.
  • ACRL : Bibliographic Instruction Section. Policy and Planning Committee. (1979). Bibliographic instruction handbook. Chicago : American Library Association.

4.1.5 Library Brochures or Pamphlets

 

Brochures or pamphlets are the part of library materials, even if they are not catalogued or bound in the libraries, but these are valuable sources of information. Generally libraries publish brochures or pamphlets to keep the users informed about their products and services. They provide up-to-date information and are provided free of cost to the users. NISCAIR, NASSDOC and others have published brochures for the publicity of their products and services.

 

4.1.6  Reports

 

Research agencies, commissions and committees are publishing their finding in the form of reports. Various committees and taskforces were established worldwide on IL. These reports provide in-depth information on IL.

  • American Library Association. (1989). Presidential Committee on Information Literacy: Final Report.Chicago: American Library Association.

3.2 Audio/ Video  Products

 

Audio-video materials are referred to as non-book materials in libraries. Audio-video products include CDs, DVDs, cassettes, videos etc. Now many publishers provide printed materials with CD or DVD containing the same material. Various libraries store reading materials in audio-video form. Audio video products are helpful to the user as well as persons with disabilities.

 

3.3  Online Products

 

With the mass availability of electronic gadgets and internet, the online products are getting importance day by day. Various IL products are produced in digital form and can be accessed online by the users.

  • Blogs / Weblog

“A Blog is a discussion or informational site published on the World Wide Web.” (wikipedia). Various LIS professionals are posting and maintaining blog on WWW. Shiela Webber is maintaining an information literacy blog on the net.

  • Information Literacy weblog >information-literacy.blogspot.in<
  • The Information Literacy Land of Confusion >www.information-literacy.net<
  • Information Wants To Be Free >meredith.wolfwater.com/worldpress/
  • Library Assessment >librayassessment.info<
  • ACRLog >acrlog.org<
  • In the Library with the Lead Pipe >www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org<
  • INformation Literacy Librarian >infolitlibrarian.blogspot.in<
  • Welsh Libraries >http://library.wales.org/informationliteracy/blog/<
  • Moira’s InfoLit blog >http://www.moirabent.blogspot.in/
  • Alkek Library Information Literacy Blog >http://txstateinfolit.blogspot.in/<

     4.3.2  Database

 

Info Lit Global : >www.infolitglobal.info/<. This database is created for UNESCO by the IFLA. This database includes worldwide resources on IL.

 

4.3.3    Electronic Journals

 

Electronic journals, e-zine, webzine, online journals are prepared and distributed electronically. These journals brought out articles on IL. For examples: International electronic journal “Information Research” can be accessed at : > http://www.informationr.net/ir/<. For example: “Information literacy in Europe: a literature review” by Sirje Virkus is published in July 2003 issue.

 

4.3.4    Online Models

 

There are various IL models available online. Professionals can access these models online:

  • Big 6 >http:/big6.com
  • CILIP’ Information Literacy Model > http://www.cilip.org.uk/cilip/advocacy-awards-and-projects/advocacy-and-campaigns/information-literacy<
  • PLUS (Purpose, Location, Use, Self- evaluation) > http://farrer.csu.edu.au/PLUS/outline.html<
  • The SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy.> http://www.sconul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/coremodel.pdf<
  • AASL (American Association of School Librarians). Standards for the 21st Century Learner. >http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL _LearningStandards<
  • ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. >http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency<

4.3.5    Online Reports

 

Various associations and organizations have prepared reports on IL related issues. These reports are available in print as well as online. Reports can be accessed at:

  • American Library Association. Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Final Report, A Library Advocate’s Guide to Building Information Literate Communities. 1989. >http://www.ala.org/offices/sites/ala.org.offices/files/content/ola/informationliteracy.pdf<
  • AASL: AASL Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning. http://www.cila.org.tw/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/04/%E7%BE%8E%E5%9C%8B_AASL-Information-Literacy-Standards-for-Student-Learning.pdf<
  • High-Level Colloquium on Information Literacy and Life Long Learning. Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt, November 6-9, 2005. : Report of a Meeting Sponsored by the UNESCO, National Forum on Information Literacy, and IFLA. >www.webcitation.org/68gh6PUQv<

   4.3.6    Online Toolkits:

 

Toolkits are developed to help the students in locating the needed information.

  • Griffith University.       (2011).       Information       Literacy       Toolkit. >http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/290769/Information-literacy.pdfWikis<

   4.3.7    Online or Web based Tutorials

 

Online tutorials guide users in understanding academic phenomena. They help users in various ways and promote academic environment.

  • Griffith University. (n.d.) Library Research Tutorial.> http://www.griffith.edu.au/library/workshops- training/self-help-resources/library-research-tutorial <
  • Delhi University Library System has prepared an Online IL Tutorial, which can be accessed at >crl.du.ac.in/ot/tutorial.html< This online tutorial has 5 modules:

Module 1:           Basic Computing

Module 2:           Web Browser

Module 3:           Online E-resources

Module 4:           Web Resources

Module 5:           Citations

 

4.3.8 Websites

 

Institutes and professionals have developed various websites exclusively for users to help them to become information literate. For this purpose various integrated information literacy programmes, models and projects were developed. Some noteworthy websites are enumerated below:

  • http://infolit.org/
  • http://www.informationliteracy.org.uk/
  • http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards
  • http://www.ala.org/acrl/aboutacrl/directoryofleadership/sections/is/iswebsite
  • http://fleetwood.baylor.edu/lirt/
  • http://www.cclibinstruction.org/
  • http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s42/
  • http://www.calstatela.edu/academic/infocomp/index.htm
  • http://www.flu.edu/~library/assistance/index.html

4.4 New Initiatives/ Programmes

 

Various programmes have been initiated to promote IL at international and national level. Organizations have taken keen interests in organizing conferences, seminars, mass media campaigns, helplines and webinars in order to promote IL.

 

4.4.1  Conference / Workshops

 

Various conferences, seminars, and workshops have been organized on IL at national and international level.

According to Virkus ( 2003),”the first International Conference on Information Technology and Information Literacy was held in Glasgow, Scotland, 20-22 March 2002 and the second conference was held in June 2003. A total of 143 people from 13 countries including librarians, information technologists and academics attended this first conference.”

 

Others are:

  • IASLIC 29th All India conference 2013 was held at Pune on December 26-26, 2013. In this conference Special Interest Group (SIG) Meetings was devoted to “IL”.
  • International Conference on Information Literacy (ICIL2006), was held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 14-15, 2006.
  • Indian Library Association has organized 51st All India Conference, at Kurukshetra, on December 16-18, 2005. The focus was on  “Libraries, Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning”.

Proceedings was published.

  • In 2005, an International Information Literacy Workshop was held at the Punjabi University Patiala. (Ghosh and Das).

   Delhi University also conducts various programmes for the promotion of IL, namely: Information Literacy and Competency Programme, Training the Trainers: Workshops on IL, Workshop on IL and Competency.

 

4.4.2    Help lines

 

Literacy help lines help the learners in finding IL products and services. One such help line is:

Literacy Alberta Helplines 1-800-767-3231.

 

4.4.3     Mass media campaign

Mass media campaign is an effective and popular media for information diffusion. Message can be sent to masses by using this media. Government and other organizations are using this medium to inform a large section of society. This media is widely used to promote health literacy among masses.

  • Sayers, R. (2006). Principles of Awareness-Raising for Information Literacy: A case study. Bangkok : UNESCO. > http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001476/147637e.pdf< Accessed on 12.05.2014. This handbook discusses the mass media communication for IL awareness.
  • Aiyepeku, W. et al (2002) Towards a functional infoliteracy campaign in African states, >http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/papers/aiyepeku-fullpaper.pdf <
  • ALA’s public awareness campaign program can be accessed at >http://www.ala.org/advocacy/advleg/publicawareness/campaign@yourlibrary<
  • NCERT : Promotes utilization of educational technologies viz. radio, TV, films, satellite communications and cyber media. (http://www.ciet.nic.in/).
  • NPTEL(National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning) Provides E-learning through online Web and Video courses in Engineering, Science and humanities streams.

4.4.4  Webinars

 

Various schools of Information and Library science are hosting and organizing Webinars on Information

Literacy. Webinars can be accessed at :

>slis.unc.edu/eventds/2014/webinar-value-info-literacy-education<

Various IL webinars organised time to time are available in AASL ( A division of ALA) professional development repository.

 

4.4.5 Projects

 

Government, non- government organizations and corporate houses have taken various initiatives for promoting digital literacy or bridging digital divide in India specially in rural India The projects are : Akshaya Project, IT Kiosks, Indiaagriline.com, Information Village Research Project, E-Chaupal, I-Shakti of Hindustan Lever, NIRD Scheme, NATP Project, Rural E-Seva, Rural Library Network, Green Star, Janamitra Scheme, GRID Centre, Gyandoot, Digital Gaqngetic Plane, Tarahaat Project, Drishtee Project, Bhoomi Project, Rajnidhi Scheme, Rural Market, Rural Business Hubs, Lokmitra Project, Wired Village Project, Warana Wired Villages, Community Information Centers, Common Service Centre IT Kiosks, Sari Network, CLIC Project, etc. These projects have been very effective in information dissemination and in promoting IL . (Sharma, A.K.)

 

5  Recent Trends in IL products

 

IL products have gone a paradigm shift from print to digital. In the USA, European countries, Japan, China and in other developed countries IL has received deserved attention. Various types of IL products have been brought forth to empower the library users. IL is at initial stage in India. Some universities and institutions have taken initiatives to promote IL here. Few universities have incorporated IL in their syllabuses but much more is required to be done. LIS professionals must work harder for spreading IL, as ‘IL is an astra for mass empowerment’. Now some of Indian universities and institutions are also engaged in bringing out online information literary products. Today we are focusing on group to individual or general to specific, so IL products should be prepared accordingly.

 

6    Summary

 

At international level various fruitful and effective efforts have been made for popularization of IL. India is way behind as far as the spread of IL is concerned. It is not feasible to quantify the amount of literature available on IL worldwide, especially in the electronic environment. According to one estimate ‘more than 5000 publications related to library user instruction and information literacy have been published and reviewed in the past thirty years’ (Rader : 2002). In the Indian context, little has been done for IL and lesser care has been taken for the preparation of IL products. IL products are self learning instruments for users, hence must be developed as per the need of the user.

  1. Bibliography and WebLinks
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  • ETS . Digital Transformation : a framework for ICT literacy, Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service, 2002.
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  • Virkus, Sirje. “Information literacy in Europe: a literature review.” Information Research 8, no. 4 (July 2003). http://www.informationr.net/ir/8-4/paper159.html (Accessed on 02.04.2014).
  • Ghosh, SB and Das, AK .Information Literacy Initiatives in India with Special Reference to Emerging Knowledge Economy. 2006. >eprints.rclis.org/8132/1/InformationLiteracyICIL06_Paper_full.pdf< ( Accessed on 02.05.2014).
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  • Lau, J. IFLA guidelines on information literacy for lifelong learning, 2006. >http://www.ifla.org/files/assets/information-literacy/publications/ifla-guidelines-en.pdf< (Accessed on :12.05.2014).
  • http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/product ( accessed on 15.05.2014)
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog( accessed on 15.05.2014)
  • http://www.iteea.org/TAA/PDFs/xstnd.pdf( accessed on 15.05.2014) c. Interesting FactS