Activities Under the Grant

The library conducted a survey of first year students' information literacy in Fall 2002 and Fall 2003. The 2003 First-Year Student Survey and the Survey results are available to view.

Definition of Information Literacy

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 Competency Standards for Higher Education from the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL)

In liberal arts colleges, librarians and faculty assist students in developing a sophisticated relationship with information by fostering appropriate expectations for information sources, effective search strategies, critical evaluation of information sources, and respect for the intellectual work of others. Students who are information literate can:

• Ask intelligent and creative questions
• Identify information sources
• Locate and access information sources successfully
• Judge the quality, relationship, and relevancy of information sources to their questions
• Determine the strengths and weaknesses of information sources
• Engage critically with information sources to interpret and integrate divergent points of view
• Use information sources ethically

- MITC First-Year Information Literacy in the Liberal Arts Assessment Project, written by members of the committee, including Carleton librarians. 2003