IL for lifelong learning: Changing roles of Library and Information Professionals in e-Information era

Sridevi Jetty, Dy. Librarian, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, U.P.

Ability to locate, organize, evaluate and use information

Combines computer and research skills

Important for academic achievement

Basis for lifelong learning

WHAT IS INFORMATION LITERACY?

Sridevi Jetty, B.U

Need for IL

• Library orientation/Bibliographic Instruction/User Education

• Information Explosion of later 20th century

• Participative citizenship

• Information Literacy beyond the walls of the class room

Definition

• Information-literate has been defined as “having the ability to recognize when information is needed, then to be able to locate and evaluate the appropriate information and use it effectively”

(American Library Association)

• Unfortunately, the concept and practice of Information Literacy has not gained ground at grass root levels in the developing countries.

Sridevi Jetty, B.U

Why Information Literacy?

Changing Information Scenario

Impact of ICTInternet & WWWChanging (electronic) Information FormatSubscription Based E-ResourcesConsortia Open Access E-Resources

IL will help in Usage of technical layering of virtual information services and sources through:

online library catalogues and virtual learning environments and emphasises that infor. has to be sysnthesised with a wider body of knowledge in order to be useful.

IL in Indian scenario benefits the users in following ways:

• to accustom with the essence of World Wide Web

• to provide awareness of various Internet Resources

• to visualise the usefulness in academics

• to envisage the efficacy of various multimedia resources

• to uphold the use of subscribed databases

• Open access Resources

• various search techniques

• need and communication of information

• Information Competency is for lifelong learning

• to provide curriculum/course-integrated instruction in alliance with the faculty and with course objectives

• to institute direct relations amid users and library professionals.

IL / Research Skills / Literature search

• To obtain best results from information search/ literature search/

research• One need to think about the following:

What do I need to find out?

• Why do I need this information? • When do I need the information by? • How am I going to find the relevant information? • Where am I going to find the relevant information? • Who created this information?

How to find the relevant information? ie. plan your search strategy

Users need to be provided with:

Introduction to library systems, services & Information

sources that help in literature search

• Thinking about the questions that need to be asked • Outlining the main areas of interest• Considering the scope of subject• Background reading and brainstorming will help to understand the subject,

make connections, and gather keywords (search terms)• Consider search terms (alternative, broader, narrower) and related

subjects.

Enterprise Resource Planning

BackgroundComputer software system

Shared data store Business

functionsBusiness

ResourcesBusiness

information

Local Area Network

Y2K

Modular

HardwareSoftware

Services

Data integrity

Type of organisation

Manufacturing

Non-Manufacturing

Businesses

Non-Profit Organisations

Governments

Accounting

Payroll

Online sales

CRM

Supply Chain

M’ment

Product Lifecycle m’ment

DistributionPurchasing

Manufacture

External interface

Eg. Retail

Financials

Origins

MRP

CIM

Legacy information

systems

1990sERP IIWeb-based

External

Internal

EAS

Kinds of searchKinds of search

Where to find relevant information?Overview of Library Website

Library Subject Guides

Internet / www

• Its easy and cheap to put information on the Web• Information may be unfettered, so be cautious.• Many precious resources, but also information which is

poorly written, badly researched, deceptive, propaganda etc.

• Therefore it is always important to evaluate search results.

Subject Gateways on Internet

Subject gateways and search engines to be used to find quality information on the internet:

Intute

Infomine

Pinakes

VoS (Voice of the Shuttle)

Exalead

The WWW Virtual Library

TechXtra (Engineering, Maths and Computing)

Alacra Wiki

FreeFullText.com

SocioSite

Search Cube

Renardus

Google Blog Search http://blogsearch.google.com/

MathGuide

E-print Network

Cogprints

BUBL Information Service

Who created this information: Evaluation

• It is important to evaluate the search results for relevance and quality ie. Is it what you need and is it trustworthy?

• This is especially important while using the Internet.

• Consider the following.....

Authority

Relevance and Accuracy

Intent

Objectivity

Currency

Authority• Who is the author/site creator? Does the site originate

from an organisation or an individual? What is their knowledge base, qualifications etc?

Relevance and Accuracy• Is this what I need? Will it answer my question? Is it at

the right level?

Intent

What is the purpose of website/information e.g. financial gain, propaganda, academic etc?

Objectivity

Is the purpose of the site clearly stated? Is the site based on verifiable facts or opinions? Balanced view? Links to supporting information?

Currency

How old is this information? When was it last updated and by whom? Is the site regularly maintained? Do the links work?

Library Cataloguehttp://library.mdx.ac.uk

Electronic Resources

Subscribed E-Resources

Open Access E-Resources

Information Literacy: How to implement?

• IL as a stand-alone course

• IL integrated in to an existing course

• IL component added to a discipline specific course

New Approaches to Information Literacy

Safari(Skills in Accessing, Finding & Reviewing Information)

1 . Understanding information

1. Introduction 2. What is information? 3. The information age 4. Everyday uses 5. Types of information 6. Information universe 7. Mapping sources 8. Identifying needs 9. Summary

2 . Unpacking information1. Introduction 2. Information journeys 3. Supply & chain

4. Research supply chain 5. Categorising information 6. Shape of the literature 7. Finding information 8. Summary

3 . Planning a search 1. Introduction 2. Describing information 3. Databases

4. Library catalogues 5. World Wide Web 6. Which to use? 7. Planning a search 8. Choosing resources 9. Summary

http://www.open.ac.uk/safari/php_pages/s07t05p010000.php

4 . Searching for information1. Introduction 2. Basic principles 3. Databases

4. Library catalogues 5. World Wide Web 6. Tracking progress 7. Your subject 8. Summary

5 . Evaluating information1. Introduction 2. Information quality 3. Presentation

4. Relevance 5. Objectivity 6. Method 7. Provenance 8. Timeliness 9. Summary

6 . Organising information1. Introduction 2. Why organise? 3. Ways to organise

4. Social bookmarks 5. Citing references 6. Bibliographies 7. Summary

7 . Where do I go from here

http://www.open.ac.uk/safari/php_pages/s07t05p010000.php

Unpacking Information

http://www.open.ac.uk/mosaic/s2t4p2.cfm

• Here we have described one way in which Penny's research has moved through the research supply chain. As the research moved through the chain it appeared in many forms. It appeared as a thesis, a journal article, a review article, a news article and as part of a course book. As we begin to understand how the information supply chain works in the 'real' world we begin to realize the complexity of the chain, and the huge number of forms that information can take. In order to better understand this complexity we begin to 'group' similar types of information – we start to categorize.

• research supply chain

• thesis, a journal article, a review article, a news article and as part of a course book

• information supply chain works

http://www.open.ac.uk/mosaic/s2t4p2.cfm

MosiacMaking sense of information in the connected

age• An assessed 12 week credit-earning short course in IL

• A successful collaborative effort between Library and faculty

• Written by the staff in the Library Information Literacy Unit

• The format for assessment is integrated into the programme.

This is tested at Open University, U.K

www.open.ac.uk/mosiac/index.cfm

Basic Library Skills IT Skills

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Seven pillars of information literacy

Role of Librarians• Librarians and Info. Professionals, from gatekeepers to guides, in the present

Knowledge society must support learning at all levels• IL programmes can inculcate good principles in fundamental use of

information use in the knowledge society• Library services must come to be recognised as an integral resource and not

merely an optional part of higher education• Students must be taught how knowledge is structured and organised by

Librarians who are experts in information organisation and retrieval is best suited to the role of guides

• Since Librarians cannot do it alone, this must be assisted by faculty whose responsibility it will be to build information usage into their teaching programmes and to encourage students to use the precious resources of the libraries

• SUCCESS in IL delivery can only be achieved thro’ collaboration bet. Librarians and the teaching staff who have the expertise in the various disciplines across the curricula / courses

Information literacy is a survival skill in the Information Age. Instead of drowning in the abundance of information that floods their lives, information literate people know how to find, evaluate, and use information effectively to solvea particular problem or make a decision…

- Presidential Committee- Presidential Committee on Information Literacy, U.S.A on Information Literacy, U.S.A

KNOWING is seeing beyond images; hearing beyond words, and sensing beyond appearances.

So it is said that if you know others and know yourself, you

will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know

others but know yourself, you win one and lose one; if you do

not know others and do not know yourself, you will be

imperiled in every single battle.

So it is said that if you know others and know yourself, you

will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know

others but know yourself, you win one and lose one; if you do

not know others and do not know yourself, you will be

imperiled in every single battle.

– Sun Tzu, Sun Tzu, The Art of WarThe Art of War– Sun Tzu, Sun Tzu, The Art of WarThe Art of War

Bundelkhand University Campus