INTRODUCTION
In today's fast-paced world, communication devices such as radios, television, the Internet, and cell phones are more powerful and more portable than ever, allowing access to information any time and almost any place on the planet. But with so much information available from so many sources 24/7, where does the average person begin the task of accessing and organizing this information so that it can be used effectively to solve real problems or answer questions?
This skill of accessing, evaluating and using information is called "Information Literacy." Information literacy is defined as the ability to "recognize when information is needed and . . . to locate, and use effectively the needed information." - American Library Association Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Final Report. (Chicago: American Library Association, 1989.) A March 1998 Progress Report from the National Forum on Information Literacy (NFIL).
By becoming familiar with the typical sources of information found in libraries and learning how to use those sources effectively to satisfy your information needs, you can become more "information literate." It is important to note that, as a student, your main focus will be on gathering information for research papers and class assignments; but these same skills will also be valuable to you as you pursue other interests whether related to your career, health, or personal concerns for the rest of your life. We live in the information age and the ability to access, evaluate and use information is an essential skill for life-long learning.
This lesson is a starting point. It has been designed to familiarize you with what information is, how you can address and fill your information needs, and how you can use the SJRCC libraries to accomplish these goals. Future lessons will include information on evaluating and choosing the most appropriate information as you go on to COMP II and Introduction to Literature.
Let's begin by addressing the following
questions:
What is information?
When do I need information?
Where is information found?
What are some typical sources of information?
How do I access those sources?
How do I find resources located at SJRCC libraries?