"To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information."

"Information literate people are those who have learned how to learn. They know how to learn because they know how knowledge is organized, how to find information, and how to use information in such a way that others can learn from them. They are people prepared for lifelong learning, because they can always find the information needed for any task or decision at hand"

American Library Association. Report of the Presidential Committee on Information Literacy

Background

Member libraries of the CTW Consortium, Connecticut College. Trinity College and Wesleyan University, are the recipients of a $660,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support collaborative programs in information literacy. This grant will extend and enhance the information literacy initiatives already under way at these institutions.

The grant was co-written by library and academic computing staff of the CTW Consortium. Over the next three years, library and computing staff members at each institution will work with academic departments and programs to develop tools and practices for information literacy instruction. They will meet regularly to evaluate methods and share ideas.

In November 2002, the three institutions co-hosted an information literacy workshop for about 100 participants, including 20 faculty members from each institution. As the inaugural event of the CTW Mellon Project for Information Literacy, the workshop provided opportunities for faculty members, administrators, and staff members to discuss the concepts of information literacy and their application in classroom teaching. The initiative builds on the successful collaboration among consortium members over the last 15 years. The Mellon Foundation had also previously awarded the consortium a grant for the CTW Mellon Project for Language Learning and Technology.

For additional information contact Beth Hansen, Director of Research Support & Instruction, Connecticut College (860-439-2681)