Source: Tumblr
As a disclaimer, I had no idea what information literacy was, at all. I had no idea that these two words could even be joined together to form a single phrase. I had no idea what this term could even refer to. And I definitely didn’t think that it had anything to do with me – or anything really, but we’ve established that I was clueless about this subject already. So, what is information literacy? (I’m asking because I am also assuming that you have no idea either.)
Information literacy is according to the Association of College & Research Libraries, essentially, a set of abilities requiring individuals to ‘recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information’ (ACRL). So, essentially, information literacy is a skill set identical to the one that archival researchers have and continue to advocate – locating, evaluating, analyzing, and effectively using your sources (the information) to support your arguments/viewpoints.
So am I as illiterate as I thought I was? Hopefully no, because it seems that all I need to do to become information literate, is to change the dialect in which I speak. I need to expand my vocabulary, and like that – bam.
I’m speaking plain English.