Information literacy is the ability to recognize when information is needed, access and evaluate the information, and use it to complete a task.
It includes knowledge of the existence of information sources, understanding the structure of the information sources, learning to locate and retrieve that information, and understanding the evaluation of the quality of that information.
Information literacy also involves effective utilization of information in its different forms, and encompasses critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
It includes the ability to recognize bias or prejudice in information sources, and the ability to distinguish between fact and opinion.
Information literacy affects all facets of life; it is an important skill both in the workplace and in our everyday lives.
In the workplace, information literacy is essential for critical decision-making, problem solving, efficient task completion, and developing skills with technology.
In life, information literacy skills can help us to evaluate the accuracy of sources, increase our access to reliable information, and help us distinguish between different types of information.
In short, information literacy is the ability to understand, use, and critically evaluate information.
It is the understanding of how to locate, access, evaluate, and use information resources for a specific purpose, and its development requires interdisciplinary knowledge and skills with a variety of information sources.