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                         By Jane Macoustra

Published by Freepint

The concept of Information Literacy (IL) recently reared its head as part of a project I was working on. As an Information Professional, IL is a competency that I have taken for granted, because it is a natural part of what being an IP is all about. However, others in a corporate organisation may not possess these skills. IL has been around for a long time and is a well documented subject - especially in an academic context (7), but there is very little information available when it is translated across to a corporate or workplace environment. I have not specified putting IL into practice in any particular type of organisation, to enable the reader to understand the broad concepts that can be put to use. Due to length restrictions, this article is a brief outline of the main issues, and therefore is by no means fully comprehensive.


What is Information Literacy?
-----------------------------

"Information Literacy is defined as the ability to know when information is needed, and ability to locate, evaluate and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand" Empire State College Online Study about IL  <http://www.esc.edu/ESCONLINE/ACROSS_ESC/LNS0ES.

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The Association of College & Research Libraries
<http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilstandardlo.html> created a set if IL standards for higher education, which have been approved by the American Library Association.<http://www.ala.org/>. The ALA has a Presidential Committee <http://www.ala.org/acrl/nili/ilit1st.html> dedicated to Information Literacy.

IL is one of the competencies of librarianship and is also an important part of knowledge management concepts. IL has been described as the following:

* "Finding, managing and sharing information and knowledge" [1]

* "Executives have become computer-literate. The younger ones, especially, know more about the way the computer works than they know about the mechanics of the automobile or the telephone. But not many executives are information-literate. They know how to get data. But most still have to learn how to use data.
 
  "Few executives yet know how to ask: What information do I need to do my job? When do I need it? In what form? And from whom should I be getting it? Fewer still ask: What new tasks can I tackle now that I get all these data? Which old tasks should I abandon? Which tasks should I do differently? ...
 
  "A 'database,' no matter how copious, is not information. It is information's ore. For raw material to become information, it must be organized for a task, directed toward specific performance, applied to a decision. Raw material cannot do that itself ...
 
  "This knowledge society requires that its members learn how to
  learn." Peter Drucker, 1992. [2]

* "Information Literacy implies that an individual be able to determine when information is needed and define the information needs in searchable terms. He/she is familiar with the vast array of information resources available and proficient at accessing and using them to locate desired information". [3]

* In her 2002 White Paper, Bonnie Wai-Yi Cheuk highlights the issues, best practices and challenges for IL in the workplace and makes recommendations that highlight the cost to businesses if employees lack information literacy skills. She also addresses IL from a knowledge management context. [4]


Information Literacy Competencies
---------------------------------

* Knowing when information is needed [5]
* Identifying the information needed to address a given problem or issue
* Finding the needed information
* Organising the needed information
* Using the information effectively to address the problem or issue at hand

Key characteristics of an information-literate person [6]

* Engages in independent, self-directed learning
* Uses information processes
* Uses a variety of information technologies and systems
* Has internalised values that promote information use
* Has a sound knowledge of the world of information
* Approaches information critically
* Has a personal information style that facilitates his or her
  interaction with the world of information


Implementing Information Literacy in a Corporate Environment
------------------------------------------------------------

These concepts can be introduced into an organisation by implementing some of the following ideas:

* Introducing the concept of IL to management as part of a knowledge management initiative, demonstrating how IL can save money in the organisation, with efficient use of research skills and better-trained staff.

* Teach the teachers - training staff who are responsible for the induction of new employees and continuing education within the organisation about the concepts of "learning to learn", "lifelong learning", "knowing what you know", and also effective teaching and communication skills.

* Use induction courses to demonstrate the use of the corporate internal databases and systems - including e-mail and intranet.  Provide hard-copy quick reference sheets showing how and where to get information within the organisation for future reference. Laminate the reference guide - it is less likely to be lost or thrown away.

* Include in the induction courses how to submit different types of information, such as know how within the organisation for sharing with colleagues, demonstrating that this concept is part of the organisation's culture.

* As another part of the induction process, have Library & Information Services ("LIS") staff train employees on library orientation and how to use the Internet. Assess if the employees know what the most appropriate tools are for certain types of research. Teach employees about how to retrieve accurate, timely and reliable information, how to analyse their results and about "information overload" and how to avoid the pitfalls. Demonstrate ways to present the findings of research to add value to the data.

* Compile an electronic questionnaire to assess the IL level of employees. Use the results of the questionnaire to select group levels and specific criteria for different types of training, depending on the individuals learning style.

* Include in the questionnaire a "needs assessment" section that evaluates what employees need to do their work each day and the satisfaction level of the information retrieved to do that work.

* Arrange "managing information" courses for all employees and train all staff how to define a request for research that will give enough information to the researcher to enable them to retrieve the answer quickly and efficiently. Design electronic enquiry forms that can be used for requesting the research and for the completion of the research. The form could be useful for compiling analysis statistics on LIS use and by whom, and the type of research requested, the tools used and the outcome of the research. Examples of the type of fields that can be used to compile the information would be: requestor name, cost centre or department code, date & time of request, deadline, time taken to undertake the work, who the work was completed by, and details of the request. Other useful fields to use could be the sources used, the sources where the information was located and any acronyms or synonyms used.

* Train LIS staff by giving them "refresher" courses on updated techniques on proprietary databases and Internet training to keep their skills honed, and ensure they are using the most appropriate resources in relation to their research.

* Assess the validity of the proprietary databases the organisation is currently using. Are there new products on the market that could provide a better service? Approach vendors for demonstrations and make detailed assessments of the new products. Use a matrix to compare them.

* Circulate a "recommended" list of web sites for use in the organisation, which are industry specific. Publish a regular updated list on the intranet to all employees that would include details of new search engines and the search syntax required for the effective use of them. Market the research products regularly on the intranet to keep them in the minds of the employees, and offer tips for using them.

* Arrange external continuing education courses, seminars, conferences and distance education <http://www-icdl.open.ac.uk/> for employees, to enable them benefit from progress in their field of speciality. They in turn can demonstrate new ideas and initiatives to their colleagues.

* Encourage employees to join professional memberships and to network with their peers from other organisations.


Conclusion
----------

Companies need to start implementing IL processes into their organisations. It is apparent from the studies that those who have introduced IL into the workplace have a more efficient, and cost-effective organisation. Those organisations that have implemented IL, can also assist other companies to understand this subject and how it can work for them, by speaking at conferences and sharing ideas.

Information Literacy is now being taught as a discipline in universities and is becoming recognised as a valuable skill.  Those who are trained in IL will therefore be recognised by a prospective employer as being a potentially valuable asset to the organisation. Eventually IL may become a core essential skill that an employer would expect every employee to be qualified in. The importance of IL in the workplace is still underestimated. Those organisations that have started to use the IL concept will already be reaping the benefits financially and culturally. It is time for the others to catch up.

References:

1. Skills for the knowledge economy; 1999; Abell & Oxbrow; Library & Information Commission
   <http://www.lic.gov.uk/publications/bulletin/issue1/feature1.html>.

2. Peter Drucker, "Drucker on Management: Be Data Literate - Know What to Know, "Wall St. Journal: New York, Dec. 1, 1992, p. A16
   <http://www.west.asu.edu/library/research/reference/business/infocompetencies.html>

3. Information Literacy: Advancing Opportunities for Learning in the Digital Age <http://aspeninstitute.org/c&s/infolit.html>.

4. Bonnie Cheuk, "Information Literacy in the Workplace Context: Issues, Best Practices and Challenges, "July 2002, White Paper prepared for UNESCO, the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, and the National Forum on Information Literacy, for use at the Information Literacy Meeting of Experts, Prague, The Czech Republic
   <http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/papers/cheuk-fullpaper.pdf>.

5. ALA Presidential Committee on Information Literacy 1989