ACRL Information Literacy Competency
Standards for Higher Education, Revisited
Fatmeh Charafeddine
Research, Instruction and Public Services
Head of Department
University Libraries
American University of Beirut
AMICAL Conference
April 4-7 2012
American University of Sharjah
Purpose
 Draw the line between Information Literacy and Library
Instruction
 Could Information Literacy be a strictly library function ? are
librarians equipped with teaching skills ? given enough teaching
hours ? Have access to learning outcome measurement tools?
 Could IL it be done without faculty cooperation and institutional
support ?
 AUB UL as a case study.
Outline
 Definition and History
 ACRL Information Literacy Standards and Guidelines
 Getting started at AUB University Libraries
 10 years of IL Program at UL
 Are we there yet ?
Definition
 “To
be information literate, a person must be able to
recognize when information is needed and have the ability
to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed
information” American Library Association. Presidential
Committee on Information Literacy. Final Report.
(Chicago: American Library Association, 1989.)
History
 1989 National Forum on Information Literacy developed a plan
to address the coming of the information age.
 1989 IL was recognized by ALA Presidential Committee on
Information Literacy as the greatest challenge to modern
American society.
 2000 ACRL published its “Information Literacy Competency
Standards for Higher Education”
ACRL IL Program Guidelines
 Guidelines for Instruction Programs in Academic Libraries
Approved by the ACRL Board of Directors, June 2003. Revised October
2011
 Characteristics of Programs of Information Literacy that Illustrate
Best Practices: A Guideline Approved by the ACRL Board, June 2003,
revised January 2012
 Both based on “Information Literacy Competency Standards for
Higher Education” and reinforce the importance of collaboration for IL
among librarians and Faculty.
Policy Making and Accreditation Standards
 “ Life long learning” is emphasized by the Department of
Education reports and Council for Higher Education Accreditation
(CHEA) standards.
 Information literacy acknowledged as an indicator in
accreditation standards. Middle States Association of Colleges and
Schools, Commission on Higher Education:
Standard 11: Educational Offerings
Standard 12: General Education
Middle States Association Accreditation Standards
 Standard 11: Educational Offerings "Evidence of
information literacy incorporated in the curriculum with
syllabi, or other materials appropriate to the mode of
teaching and learning”.
 Standard 12: General education "The institution's curricula
are designed so that students acquire and demonstrate
college-level proficiency in general education, scientific and
quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning,
technological competency, and information literacy.
How did it Start at AUB ?
 Expansion of e-resources, by 2002 article databases in most subject
areas were part of the Library collection with low usage statistics.
 Librarians are knowledgeable of online resources and research tools
but are not in direct contact with students. Faculty in charge of
teaching do not integrated library resources. Urgent need for eresources marketing and information literacy program that is campus
wide, resonating beyond the library.
 University accreditation and strategic planning helped in recognizing
the need for a campus wide IL plan.
Information Literacy Department 2002
 First established in 2002 with two staff members.
 Principles based on ACRL standards and guidelines
 Mission: marketing and teaching the usage and integration of the
growing number of library e-resources in the curriculum.
 Needs assessment survey; 65.5% of students didn’t know of the eresources collection, 75% use internet only for their research.
 Intense outreach activities: first 1200 students attended.
Types of Instruction Sessions
The program is composed of:
 English Communication Skills : introduction to Library resources, systems and services.
 Course or Major-related Sessions: focusing on core research sources and electronic
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databases
Orientation sessions, and Library Tours: are provided to new students and faculty
Individual research assistance: for faculty and for graduate students preparing theses.
Special Faculty workshops: are organized to assist professors in integrating library
resources in research assignments within courses.
Workshops on specific resources or tools: e.g. Citation management, statistics and
datasets ...
Customized pathfinders : are created to suit a discipline or course and may be posted
on a Moodle site in the Course Management System.
Library Instruction Objectives
Ability of attendee to Identify and utilize library services and collections:
 Distinguish among several information formats, e.g., books, serials,
microforms ...
 Recognize the Library's various search tools (webpage, catalog, lists)
 Identify and utilize databases and/or other electronic resources most
appropriate to research needs
 Choose reference materials appropriate to specific research needs
 Cite used sources according to selected citation style
 Understand and avoid plagiarism.
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant 2004
 Mellon Fund for faculty summer institutes received and launched
for three years, in coordination with Academic Computing
Services and Teaching Excellence.
 ISD librarians gave “Use of Resources in Course Design”
seminars.
 Faculty received stipends to attend the seminars and to follow
up on integrating the use of library resources in their course
design.
E-Classroom, October 2004
 Equipped with 27 computers connected to the AUB network, a
smart board and a remotely controlled LCD projection system.
 Online Reservation form.
UL Strategic Plan 2005
develop and expand
programs and workshops to optimize the use of and to integrate the
resources within the curriculum at all levels, in Course Management Systems
and in the General Education requirements.”
 Initiatives:
 a- Expand marketing and availability of information literacy at three
levels: Entry level, Junior-Senior Research and Thesis preparation.
 b- Continue the yearly summer faculty workshops.
 c- Implement two research workshops (Fall and Spring) for advanced
graduate students.
 Strategic Objective UL-0503 “Continuously
Assessment Tests
 Two librarians attended the National Institute for Technology and Liberal
Education (NITLE) workshop, Assessing Information Literacy and Fluency in the
Context of the Liberal Arts Campus, 2008
 Tests based on ACRL standards.
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Iskills, commercial test.
Project SAILs from Kent State University, Ohio.
James Madison University Information Literacy Test (ILT)
Research Practices Survey (RPS), will by adopted by NITLE
 ISD hasn’t adopted any of the above yet but has recommended SAILS and RPS
for future implementations.
Ten Years Later, 2012
 Number of students attending its sessions each year has more than tripled rising
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from 1200 in 2002; 2313 in 2003-04; 7263 in 2006-07 to reach to reach 421
sessions for 7849 students in 2012.
Well established program in English and Communication skills and large
enrollment classes in some majors.
A big demand for training citation management software
Most sessions include online assignments and outcome assessment.
Use of course management software (WebCT then Moodle)
Online Research guides using Libguides, 2011.
IL course on Moodle, course management software.
Started cooperation with the University Writing Center, 2012.
Just started a Library Facebook and twitter, 2012.
Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education
Standard I: Determine the nature and extent of information needed
Standard II: Access information effectively and efficiently
Standard III: Critically evaluate information and its sources
Standard IV: Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base
Standard V: Use information effectively
Standard VI: Access and use information ethically and legally
Except for standard II and standard VI, all other standards are a qualitative
shift from the traditional library instruction content and expectations.
Are we There Yet ?
 Information literacy is not formally institutionalized at AUB campus.
 IL is included as one of the competencies in General Education Requirements
applicable in Communication Skills courses and others depending on faculty
decision.
 Acquisition of the skill is not clearly defined and no explanation is given
whether it is to be developed by the librarians or the faculty.
 The role of the library in developing research skills on campus will need to
be clearly defined.
 Future subject specialist librarians could help moving the current ISD program
towards a better Information Literacy course content by the Library
IL the Work of Faculty, Librarians and
Administrators
Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education
Information Literacy and Higher Education
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“Incorporating information literacy across curricula, in all programs and services,
requires the collaborative efforts of faculty, librarians, and administrators. ”
 “Faculty also inspire students to explore the unknown, offer guidance on how
best to fulfill information needs, and monitor students’ progress. ”
 “Academic librarians coordinate the evaluation and selection of intellectual
resources for programs and services; organize, and maintain collections and many
points of access to information; and provide instruction to students and faculty
who seek information.”
 “Administrators create opportunities for collaboration and staff development
among faculty, librarians.”
Thank You