Searching for information is easy but finding useful and relevant information can be more difficult!
At university you will be expected to use information sources in your assignments. It is essential that you understand what constitutes a credible and reliable information source, where to find it and how to use it ethically and responsibly. To succeed in this you need to develop new skills; information literacy skills. These skills are part of the overall skills and attributes that you will develop during your student journey. They will help you to become an independent lifelong learner and achieve academically.
Here at the University of Derby Library we have developed a framework which outlines five key pillars, or aspects, of information literary. These pillars cover the core skills you need to develop to become an information literate individual.
You can find out more about information literacy, and why it is important, in the What is Information Literacy? section. It also includes links to a range of tools and activities to help you improve your information literacy skills.
If you are a member of academic staff and you would like to know more about how we can support your students' information literacy skills development please select the Support for Academics tile.
The Our Framework tile gives more detailed information about the Framework, the Pillars, and the skills and competencies covered by each of them.
1. ALA (1989) Presidential committee on information literacy: final report. Available at: http://www.ala.org/acrl/publications/whitepapers/presidential (Accessed: 23 February 2022).
