About Information Literacy

The CUNY Council of Chief Librarians’ 2001 White Paper defines information literacy as “a process by which students come to:

• Recognize when they have a need for information
• Identify the kinds of information needed to address a given problem or issue
• Develop a search strategy and find and evaluate the needed information
• Organize the information and use it effectively to address the problem at hand
• Use the information legally and ethically.”

According to the ACRL’s information literacy competency standards for higher education, an information literate individual is able to:

• Determine the extent of information needed
• Access the needed information effectively and efficiently
• Evaluate information and its sources critically
• Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base
• Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
• Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally.”