INFORMATION LITERACY
The
term was first used by Zurkowsky in 1974 in a proposal submitted to the
National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS). According to
him, ‘people trained in the application of information resources to their work
can be called as information literates. ALA defines Information Literacy as the
ability of an individual to recognize the need for information and to locate,
evaluate and use effectively the needed information. According to United
Nations Educational and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), IL means the set of
skills, attitude and knowledge necessary to know when information is needed,
how to articulate that information need
in searchable terms, search efficiently for the information, retrieve
it, interpret it and understand it…, then utilize it to accomplish bottom-line
purpose.
According
to Information Literacy Policy formulated by University of Sydney Library
Information Literacy is an understanding and a set of abilities enabling
individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the capacity to locate evaluate, and
use effectively the needed information.
We can’t consider the libraries, educational
institutions, web etc. are only sites for information. Information comes from
first hand encounters, graphic records, physical structures and from various
socio-cultural contexts. Hence all
definitions provide a limited view of IL While talking about information
literacy, there may come varied connotations regarding diverse concepts like
traditional literacy, computer literacy, technological literacy, environmental
literacy, network literacy, digital literacy and even moral literacy.
