Information Literacy is more than a set of integrated abilities for finding, understanding, evaluating, and sharing information; it also entails understanding how information is produced and valued, using information to create new knowledge, and participating ethically in communities of learning. The library's Information Literacy Instruction Programs help faculty meet the aims of the General Education Curriculum through the provision of course specific instruction, workshops, and online educational support. Librarians collaborate with faculty to teach information literacy based on the Association of College & Research Libraries' (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education. Librarians are available to work with faculty upon request through a variety of modalities on campus, online, and at extended campus sites.
Upon graduation, undergraduate students at Fitchburg State University will be able to:
Students will understand that authority is constructed and contextual.
Choose the appropriate level of authority for the information needed.
Determine credibility of sources through various evaluative methods.
Students will be able to contribute to scholarly conversation ethically and responsibly at the appropriate level.
Integrate sources ethically and appropriately.
Explain how their scholarship contributes to ongoing discussion.
Students will be able to demonstrate that research is a flexible and iterative process of inquiry.
Formulate and refine a research question.
Synthesize gathered information to communicate new ideas.
Students will be able to locate information using a variety of tools and methods.
Develop a search strategy appropriate to the tools and methods.
Locate sources relevant to information need.