Information Literacy and Global Readiness: Library Involvement Can Make a World of Difference

Abstract

The need for information literacy continues to increase as colleges and universities begin to globalize their curricula and include global readiness in institutional missions. This article reports pretest and posttest data collected during a librarian–faculty collaboration to determine the effect of information literacy instruction on students participating in an anthropology class focused on global understanding. The results suggest emphasis on teaching specific skills can produce an increase in students’ information literacy levels. Also, emerging global curricula may provide an avenue for librarians to pursue the promotion of information literacy. Changes in students’ information literacy skills, successful teaching strategies, and their connection to global readiness are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• information literacy
• instruction
• globalization
• global readiness
• collaboration