Information Literacy Commons^™

Critical Information Literacy In Higher Education: An Evolution In Theory, Practice, And Assessment, Dan Williford

Communications in Information Literacy

This article offers a critical synthesis of scholarship on critical information literacy (CIL) in higher education from 2015 to 2026, extending and recalibrating prior longitudinal reviews to account for post-2020 theoretical, political, and technological shifts. Drawing on a corpus of 48 peer-reviewed publications published between 2020 and 2026, the study employs thematic cluster analysis—building on Tewell’s four-domain framework—to examine developments in theory, pedagogy, digital and political engagement, reflexive critique, and assessment. Rather than treating critical information literacy as a settled framework, this review positions it as an evolving and contested practice shaped by the political economy of higher education. It …

Review Of Information Literacy And Social Media: Empowered Student Engagement With The Acrl Framework, Rebecca M. Mccall

Communications in Information Literacy

Review of Santamaría, M., & Pfannenstiel, N. (2024). Information literacy and social media: Empowered student engagement with the ACRL Framework. Association of College and Research Libraries.

Teaching The Information Has Value Frame Through The Price Is Right, Kevin J. Reagan, Dawn ("Nikki") Cannon-Rech

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

When navigating library resources, students often remain unaware of the cost of information, particularly scholarly academic journal articles– and rightly so, given that the mission of the library is to provide patrons with free access to information. Part of the ACRL Framework, nevertheless, entails teaching students about issues with lack of information access, which can be difficult to teach in higher education, where students might have never lacked access to quality information sources. To teach students about the cost of information and the economic factors that prevent some from accessing information, two academic librarians integrated the Information Has Value Frame …

Evaluation Of Undergraduate Research Topic Skill Development, Vanessa Arce, Katelyn Angell

Publications and Research

Inspired by the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy frame Research as Inquiry, Lehman College Library conducted an assessment to measure its undergraduate students’ ability to formulate research questions that are appropriately scaled, encourage critical inquiry, and can be supported by available information resources. Using a sample of first-year students enrolled in an English composition class, the assessment revealed that students performed best at locating information resources and struggled most with scaling down a topic. Lessons learned from this study can be extrapolated to outside institutions to improve information literacy learning outcomes.

Student Partners In Ai Literacy: A Library And Writing Center Collaboration, A. P. Anderson

Velma K. Waters Library Faculty Publications

Student voices are valuable but often overlooked in discussions surrounding the role of AI in higher education. AI Literacy education efforts that treat students only as a potential audience for instruction rather than as potential instructors themselves miss out on the passion, curiosity, and complex questions that students can bring to these conversations. If we center student voices in AI Literacy education discussions, and encourage both their enthusiasm and skepticism, students can become comfortable and confident in leading discussions about AI in the classroom and in their lives. In my proposed poster presentation, I will share insights from an AI …

A Real Package Deal - Ai & The Library Instruction Practitioner, Kay Coates, Jessica Garner

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

On the knowledge sharing spectrum artificial Intelligence (AI) coupled with skilled library instruction practitioners is an engaging, winsome combination. This powerful collaborative synergy can better substantiate the premise that teaching and learning is a two-way conduit — a commixture of tools (machine) and instructors (human). Undoubtedly, AI applications in scholarly enterprise could further substantiate worth by reinforcing the value of skilled support library instruction practitioners in an automated cosmos. Computerized deep learning technologies such as Generative AI which imitates human intelligence, and Large Language Models (LLM) are poised to revolutionize how research is conceived, designed, conducted, presented and preserved. Undoubtedly, …

Investigating Faculty Perceptions Of Information Literacy And Instructional Collaboration, Angie Cox, Amandajean Nolte, Angela L. Pratesi

Communications in Information Literacy

This exploratory mixed-methods study investigates faculty perceptions of information literacy (IL), its instruction, and librarian collaboration teaching IL since the adoption of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education at the authors’ institution. Many previous studies examining these questions were completed when the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education was the guiding document for the profession. Like earlier studies, findings from this study clearly demonstrate that faculty value IL and that collaborations occur in differing and inconsistent forms. However, at the authors’ institution, there is a misalignment between faculty and librarians in what IL is and …

Aha! Centering Student Voices To Better Understand An Instruction Program, Andrea Wilcox Brooks, Cathy Craig, Meredith Riney

Communications in Information Literacy

This article describes using aha moments as an assessment approach to gain a better understanding of student learning in relation to the six frames in the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Librarians asked students to share an aha moment following information literacy instruction sessions during the fall 2022 semester. Researchers coded responses to one of the six IL frames and found that student insights most often reflected learning aligned to the “Searching as Strategic Exploration” frame, though “Information Has Value” also had a strong presence. The results provided a holistic picture …

Equitable Belonging Via Information Literacy: Amanda Izenstark, Mlis • University Of Rhode Island, University Libraries • Pod22, November 17, 2022 Equitable Belonging Via Information Literacy Empowering Teachers To Empower Learners, Amanda K. Izenstark

Public Services Faculty Presentations

As critical educators and learners, we continually encounter a changing information landscape necessitating (re)considerations of our responsibilities as consumers and producers of knowledge. This workshop offers a window into a High Impact Teaching Seminar created by librarians and educational developers at the University of Rhode Island to intentionally integrate accessible Information Literacy (IL) skills for all students. Through a reflective exploration of IL threshold concepts such as scholarly conversation, authority, information creation, and strategic exploration, participants will learn about the seminar’s theoretical framework and structure, engage in sample activities, and consider possible applications at their own institutions.

Review: Envisioning The Framework: A Graphic Guide To Information Literacy, Jonathan D. Grunert

Communications in Information Literacy

Review of Finch, J. L. (2021). Envisioning the framework: A graphic guide to information literacy (ACRL Publications in Librarianship, no. 77), American Library Association.

Insiders' Perspectives On The Acrl Framework For Information Literacy, Jean-Michel Lapointe, Craig Gibson, Trudi E. Jacobson

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

This interview with the two U.S. librarians who co-chaired the Task Force that led to the creation of the Association of College & Research Libraries' Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (ACRL 2016) revisits the process of its creation as well as the reception this document has received five years after its inception. The authors retrace the main conceptual debates that have shaped the Framework and propose a typology of contemporary currents in information literacy, providing insight into the issues that inform the evolution of different conceptions of the pedagogical role of librarians in higher education from yesterday until …

Remote Reference Consultations Are Here To Stay, Emily Reed

Communications in Information Literacy

Remote reference consultations have considerably increased due to the need to provide remote services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducting reference consultations via videoconferencing not only offers many benefits to student researchers it also presents an opportunity for librarians to embrace a learner-centered teaching mindset when approaching remote consultations by developing consultation learning goals in alignment with the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Designing consultations to be learner-centered yields benefits for students such as the student actively practicing their own searches as well as more thorough source evaluation. Additionally, videoconferencing technology allows for a more seamless information sharing …

“We’Re A Little Different:” Business Information Literacy Perspectives On The Acrl Framework, Amanda B. Click, Claire Walker Wiley, Meggan A. Houlihan

Communications in Information Literacy

The introduction of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education in 2015 inspired many librarians to rethink how they offer information literacy instruction. This multi-method study, using data from a survey and five focus groups, explores the use of the Framework in business information literacy (BIL). The study research questions focus on how librarians engage with the Framework in supporting the information needs of business students. Participants indicate that they make implicit, direct, and institutional use of the Framework. They also use a variety of tools aside from the Framework when designing their BIL instruction. Limitations of …

Information Literacy Practices And Perceptions Of Community College Librarians In Florida And New York, Heidi Julien, Don Latham, Melissa Gross, Lindsey Moses, Felicia Warren

Communications in Information Literacy

An online survey in Florida and New York of community college librarians with responsibility for information literacy instruction provides a snapshot of instructional objectives and practices, including librarians’ beliefs about students’ information literacy needs, strengths, and weaknesses. Survey results point to the influence of the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework in the community college context, the challenges librarians face as they work to implement it, and their successes in doing so. These data reveal opportunities to support and improve instruction and to prepare future librarians to work successfully in community college contexts.

Analyzing Information Sources Through The Lens Of The Acrl Framework: A Case Study Of Wikipedia, Trudi E. Jacobson

Communications in Information Literacy

Might the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education be used to analyze information resources? Would a Framework-focused analysis of one commonly used resource, Wikipedia, yield valuable insights for the teaching and learning of key information literacy concepts? Each of the six frames is explored in the light of Wikipedia, and metaliteracy, a founding principle of the Framework, is introduced when it provides additional scaffolding in connection with the goals of a particular frame as a way to enhance student learning opportunities. There are a number of components in Wikipedia that align with the Framework …

Designing A Collaborative Learning Experience Around The Framework, Samantha Godbey, Xan Y. Goodman

Library Faculty Research

In late 2015, we presented a three-hour workshop on the nascent ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education at the European Conference on Information Literacy (ECIL) in Tallinn, Estonia,1 after which we were approached about preparing a more in-depth learning experience on the Framework for a group of international librarians. These librarians were part of the AMICAL Consortium, a consortium of twenty-nine liberal arts institutions in Europe, Asia, and Africa. At this point, we had already led several active learning–filled workshops on the Framework, including the one at ECIL. We were also working on a coedited book on the …

Framing Fake News: Misinformation And The Acrl Framework, Allison Faix, Amy F. Fyn

Library Faculty Publications

To address the growing problem of misinformation, librarians often focus on approaches tied to the frame “Authority Is Constructed and Contextual” from the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The Framework, however, encompasses a much wider range of skills, abilities, knowledge practices, and dispositions that can be used to recognize and avoid misinformation in today’s complex media environment. This article does a close reading of the Framework to examine how librarians can apply it more fully when teaching research strategies, especially source evaluation. The authors propose that librarians take a holistic approach …

Everyone Loves Gummi Bears! Removing The Intimidation Factor From Research Data Management With Yummy Fun., Dawn N. Cannon-Rech, Jeffrey M. Mortimore

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

How do you get students excited about research data management and attract over 70 participants to a voluntary workshop? How do you get Librarians excited about teaching a research data management workshop to undergraduates? With the promise of Gummi Bears and hands-on fun! During this workshop session, presenters will break down their experience overhauling a faculty workshop into an active learning session to expose students of all experience levels to basic research data management concepts and techniques. Presenters will walk participants through their design process from inception to delivery, highlighting how Gummi Bears lessened students’ intimidation with this complex topic …

Instructional Scaffolding Of The Acrl Framework For Information Literacy For Developmental Learners., Fabio Montella

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Information literacy has become a necessary set of abilities for community college students to possess in this age of digital distribution. The plethora of information that is generated at an almost instantaneous rate has brought about the need for an information-literate student body with the ability to both decipher and utilize viable and valid information. However, the attainment of such abilities requires the comprehension of information literacy core concepts. These concepts, while instrumental, may be difficult to grasp without a foundation of practical familiarity, especially for students in developmental education courses.

In this presentation, Fabio Montella, Assistant Professor of Library …

To Frame Or Not To Frame: Creating A Metaliteracy Course For Online Ed.D. Students, Melissa D. Atkinson

Library Research and Publications

The purpose of this study is to create a course in a learning management system (LMS), Canvas, for online Ed.D. students and determine if the course can improve scores measuring metaliteracy concepts from pretest to posttest. The course assessed knowledge of metaliteracy goals and objectives instead of using the ACRL Framework. This paper reports on the creation of the course, results of the pretest-posttest, a mapping of metaliteracy goals and objectives with the ACRL Framework, and recommendations for including metacognitive practices in library instruction.
The researcher used a quantitative, quasi-experimental, exploratory design and developed a metaliteracy course in the Canvas …

Community College Librarians And The Acrl Framework: Findings From A National Study, Susan T. Wengler, Christine Wolff-Eisenberg

Publications and Research

This study explored community college librarians’ engagement with the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. A national online survey with 1,201 community college librarian respondents reveals limited familiarity with and integration of the Framework into community college instruction to date. Findings indicate an openness to future adoption, as well as substantial interest in targeted professional development and a version of the Framework adapted for community college campuses. These results contribute benchmark instructional data on an understudied section of academic librarianship and add to the growing body of research on how librarians have updated teaching practices in response to …

University Of New Hampshire: Renaissance In Action, Kathrine C. Aydelott

Faculty Publications

This chapter, from Association of College and Research Library's (ACRL) Hidden Architectures of Information Literacy Programs, details the multi-year shift of service delivery and structure of the University of New Hampshire's Research & Learning Services department. The chapter further outlines plans to re-imagine the embedded liaison program and details the nascent rebirth of a unified library instruction program.

Patents & Information Literacy, Dave Zwicky

Libraries Faculty and Staff Supplemental Materials

The ACRL Framework is an attempt to define information literacy using six threshold concepts. Patents could be a vehicle for addressing those concepts with STEM audiences.

The Context Of Authority And Sociological Knowledge: An Experiential Learning Project, Julia F. Waity, Stephanie Crowe

Communications in Information Literacy

In this innovative project, a social sciences librarian partnered with a sociology professor to embed the “Authority is Constructed and Contextual” frame into an upper-division sociology of poverty course. Students in this course participated in an experiential learning project, collaborating with local children on a participatory photo mapping project to document the children’s neighborhood. By working directly with community members in this field experience, the students gained an understanding of the differences between scholarly authority and community authority and what can be learned about poverty from each type of source. Engagement with a local community provides students with a direct …

Informed Learning And The Acrl Framework: What Faculty Teach And How Students Learn., Lorna M. Dawes

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Faculty are increasingly implementing pedagogies that create cultures of inquiry in their classes and teach information use as a part of their discipline subject content. Informed Learning is a pedagogy that focuses on “learning subject content through engaging with academic or professional information practices” (Bruce et al, 2010) and is the most effective way of teaching information literacy. Evidence gathered via interviews with 24 teaching faculty reveal how information literacy is a part of the teaching and learning that occurs serendipitously and intentionally in first-year courses. The faculty describe five qualitatively different ways that students experience information use throughout their …

Adapting The Framework At Jmu Libraries And Educational Technologies: ​ A Collaboration Between Instructional Designers And Librarian Liaisons​, Liz Thompson, Malia Willey, Elaine Kaye

Libraries

At James Madison University (JMU), a small team of faculty members in Libraries & Educational Technologies (LET) collaborated to develop new information literacy student learning outcomes based on the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The Information Literacy Task Force was tasked with unifying the conversation around information literacy within LET and providing student learning outcomes that educators will be able to adapt into content, activities, and assessments. Instructional designers and librarians worked together to explore the framework in the diverse context of the JMU community. We will share how the unique collaboration between instructional designers and librarians …

Imls Sparks Ignite Il Framework Cooperative Project Final Performance Report, Appendix F: Outcomes & Indicators For Student Performance, Jessame Ferguson

IMLS SPARKS Ignite IL Framework Cooperative Project for At-Risk Student Success in Smaller Colleges

This document is an appendix to the Final Performance Report for the IMLS Sparks Ignite IL Framework Cooperative project. It contains the four outcomes and the performance indicators for each outcome.

Imls Sparks Ignite Il Framework Cooperative Project Final Performance Report, Appendix D: Focus Group Report, Joel M. Wright, Jessame Ferguson

IMLS SPARKS Ignite IL Framework Cooperative Project for At-Risk Student Success in Smaller Colleges

This appendix to the Final Performance Report for the IMLS Sparks IL Cooperative Project grant is the report on the focus groups. The focus group research summarized herein represents a segment of the overall IMLS grant proposal process, and should be viewed not as a separate endeavor, but rather as an integrated approach to the overall research questions in the grant proposal. In conjunction with the pre-test/post-test survey driven component, the findings from the focus group research help to strengthen the case for the value of librarian-driven pedagogy in positively impacting the academic and intellectual growth of all students, and …

Imls Sparks Ignite Il Framework Cooperative Project Final Performance Report, Jessame Ferguson

IMLS SPARKS Ignite IL Framework Cooperative Project for At-Risk Student Success in Smaller Colleges

This is the Final Performance Report for the SPARKS Ignite IL Framework Cooperative Project for At‐Risk Student Success in Smaller Colleges. Through a partnership of five institutions led by McDaniel College, we developed new best practices for ensuring information literacy education programs at smaller institutions support success and persistence of at‐risk students in their critical first‐year. We used the newly adopted Association of College & Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education to develop and test new assessment methodologies and engaging educational experiences for first‐year students. The project took place in 2017. The report summarizes our successes, challenges …

Imls Sparks Ignite Il Framework Cooperative Project Mapped Learning Activities, Outcomes & Indicators, Jessica Barbera, Jim Huff, Christine Iannicelli, Marianne Sade, Samantha Martin

IMLS SPARKS Ignite IL Framework Cooperative Project for At-Risk Student Success in Smaller Colleges

This spreadsheet was used to collect learning activities, map learning activities to outcomes and indicators, and identify which outcomes and indicators would have the greatest impact. We invite others to review this map and use, modify, and/or add to this list. Please share your new creations with us, too.

• Key:
  • Learning activities that we identified as potentially impactful have blue text
  • Learning activities that we used in our final instruction plan are highlighted in pale yellow
  • “X” shows indicators that were addressed directly by the learning activity
  • “/” shows indicators that were indirectly addressed by the learning activity
  • Green indicators …