October is National Information Literacy Month

October is National Information Literacy Month. And Gov. Bill Haslam has declared October as Information Literacy Month for Tennessee. What is information literacy?

In today's world, the need for information comes from many different sources. Being able to have that skill set to access those resources are taught through information literacy. Our library instruction program was recently recognized as an exemplary program in the category of Outreach by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Instruction Section Information Literacy Best Practices Committee.

Our library instruction program equips students with information literacy skills as outlined by the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards. These standards are relevant across all disciplines.  The ability to identify their information needs, to locate and evaluate information, and to use information responsibly are essential skills for our students now and in the future.

Here are three pertinent paragraphs from Gov. Haslam's resolution on the importance of information literacy and college libraries:

WHEREAS, information literacy provides the tools and skills to successfully find,
evaluate, and use information from a diverse array of sources in a constantly changing world; and

WHEREAS, citizens who are comfortable working with the information resources available in the digital world are able to seek skilled jobs and compete at the highest levels in the global economy; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee libraries in schools, colleges, and communities play a vital role in teaching students to be information literate by enabling students to think critically, utilize multiple technologies to gather and manage information, and create and share knowledge ethically.

Support National Literacy Month!