GOALS OF INFORMATION LITERACY

The goal of information literacy institution is to enable individual to develop skills that they can use for life to facilitate their environment through information instruction. Librarians, particularly those teaching, whose needs for hands on instruction has been wisely emphasized are constantly searching for methodologies that will provide appropriate levels of interactive instruction many methods for enhancing the relevance of library instruction.

Information literacy is increasingly important, academic libraries have responded by providing instruction in information literacy described as the ability to locate, manage, critically evaluate and use information for problem solving. Information literacy is rooted in the concept of library instruction and bibliographic instruction, it is the ability to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information

Hughes and Shapiro (1996) made major points in their attempt to define information literacy. Firstly, in its narrowest sense, it will include the practical skills involved in effective use of information technologies (IT) and print or electronic information resources. Secondly, it is a new liberal art which extends beyond technical skills and conceived as one’s critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure and its social, cultural and even philosophical context and impact. And information literate person ought to possess the basic quality which include
• Determine extent of information needed
• Access the needed information effectively and efficiently
• Evaluate information and its sources critically
• Incorporate selected information into one knowledge base
• Use information effectively to accomplish specific purpose
• Understand economic, legal and social issues surrounding the use of information and access and use information ethically and legally

Information literacy and encompasses more than good information seeking behaviour, it incorporate the ability to recognize when information is needed and then phrase questions designed to gather the needed information, it include evaluating and then using information appropriately and ethically once it is retrieved from any media including electronic, human or print sources, the responsibility of helping people become information literate is best shared across campus, as it is clearly indicated in the competency standards, normally, administrators support information literacy goals for individual chosen fields, information instructors and other institution professional collaborate with course instructors in this effort. The level of collaboration between information manager and academic department differs among institution, one institution may determine that one of the competency standard components indicates clear need for collaboration while another institution may view the same component as primarily the responsibility of the library program me. The tags suggest possible collaborative situation, it serves as reminders of the need for information instructors to share institution wide collaborative efforts to develop and achieve the ultimate literacy goals.