Reeves Library

Information Literacy

Mission

Central to the work of Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary is the pursuit of knowledge, chiefly through teaching and research. Reeves Library’s Information Literacy instruction supports and advances the mission of the college and seminary by promoting and facilitating the development of information literacy, the “ability to recognize when information is needed and to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” We are preparing students (and to a lesser extent all members of the campus community) to meet the information needs that arise in their academic, professional, and personal lives; facilitating their development as independent critical thinkers; and empowering them to adapt to a rapidly changing information environment so that they may engage in lifelong learning.

Goals

To facilitate course-integrated information literacy instruction in all disciplines and at all levels in both the college and the seminary. Both basic and upper-level skills will be embedded in courses with ample opportunities for reinforcement of the skills already learned. Both basic and upper-level skills will be woven seamlessly into course work making the acquisition of information skills a more natural part of the total learning process. Moreover, since mastering research skills is a developmental process, there will be ample opportunities for practice and reinforcement of skills already taught. In addition, outcomes assessment of instruction will be routine.

Curriculum

The Association of College & Research Libraries defines the core undergraduate information competencies/outcomes as follows:

I. Develop effective search strategies

Student determines the information requirements for the research question, problem, or issue.
Student determines what category of information resource is most relevant to the information need and develops a plan to search for needed information.

II. Locate and retrieve information sources

Student correctly interprets bibliographic citations and Internet equivalents and knows how to obtain cited items.
Student uses interlibrary loan, document delivery, electronic transmission, or other means to obtain material not available locally.

III. Analyze and critically evaluate information

Student analyzes and critically evaluates the results of a search for accuracy, relevance, timeliness, authority, etc.
Student filters large amounts of information and distinguishes among facts, points of view, and opinion.

IV. Organize and synthesize information

Student synthesizes information from a variety of sources and organizes information for practical application.

V. Use/apply information

Student applies information to critical thinking and problem-solving situations.
Student communicates using a variety of information technologies.
Student integrates information resources into academic discourse.
Student produces and communicates information in effective and appropriate formats.

VI. Awareness and attitude formation about information and information technology

Student is aware of the ethical, legal, and socio-political issues surrounding information and information technology, such as copyright, and the responsibility to properly credit information sources.
Student appreciates that the skills gained in information competence enable lifelong learning.
Student is aware of the difference between information and knowledge.
Student is aware of the structure and dissemination channels of the global information environment.

Additional Information

Useful links for additional information about information literacy in general and our instruction in particular are as follows:

Reeves Library Information Literacy Documents

The Information Literacy Initiative is a list of the skills of the information literate broken down by level of difficulty.
The Instruction a la Carte Menu is a breakdown of the skills we teach and the approximate time needed to cover each. The menu can facilitate our work planning classes with you to meet your students’ needs.