Information Literacy

In the wider context, information skills are important because it helps to increase information literacy. “Information literacy is the ability to think critically and make balanced judgements about any information we find and use. It empowers us as citizens to reach and express informed views and to engage fully with society.” (CILIP, 2018)

With information available in many formats, and of varying quality, it is essential that students have the skills to enable them to exploit the wide range of information resources available and to retrieve, evaluate and use that information effectively.
By empowering students to develop these skills, we can contribute to their academic success and help ensure that our TUS graduates become independent and successful lifelong learners.

The library at TUS offers a range of information skills sessions to every student in each Academic Department in the Technological University. Subject librarians work in close partnership with teaching staff to develop, design and deliver information literacy skills programmes across each discipline.
Sessions can be once-off classes, project or course related instructional sessions or embedded modules. Best practice has shown that information literacy skills are best developed within the context of academic programmes.

Information skills sessions are available throughout the year and can be booked by students and staff via library website

• Understand the need to use information and define your research topic
• Identify the range of information resources available
• Locate and access information using different library collections
• Use search tools to locate relevant information by applying effective search strategies
• Identify and use subject specific library databases
• Use information independently and critically
• Locate and evaluate quality information on the web
• Cite information and use it in a responsible and ethical manner

The library at TUS has produced a 3-level information literacy framework to assist the development of its IL programmes aimed at First/Second year Undergraduate students, Final year Undergraduate students and finally Postgraduate/Research students.

• For each level of the framework, an indicative set of learning outcomes has been developed, which includes relevant assessment and evaluation techniques.
• As the students advance through their academic programmes, this framework will enable them to progressively build their skills.
• The framework will also facilitate collaboration with academic departments and help integrate IL skills into the curriculum.

Information Literacy CILIP Information Literacy Group
Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education ALA
Integrating Information Literacy into the Curriculum CONUL