INFORMATION LITERACY

                                       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.