Bridging the Divide : Information Literacy the forgotten link

We both have a genuine interest in Information Literacy and teach these skills to students at various levels.

We were alarmed at the lack of understanding of basic Information Literacy and research skills in addition to students’ reliance on Google throughout their studies.

We believe if we can introduce the notion that good Information Literacy skills can become a way of life, we can bridge the divide between school and university and then moving on from university to the work place.

By working collaboratively we will gain an insight in the similarities and differences between teaching Information Literacy at school and at the Higher Education level.

This will be hugely beneficial in the following ways:

• Students

Develop and foster Information Literacy and research skills early enough for academic integrity to become second nature. Enhance transition into Higher Education, and enable ethical information retrieval.

• Staff

Library staff will develop opportunities to share resources, network and, most importantly, develop an appreciation and understanding of how other institutions approach and understand students’ transition to HE, thus allowing staff to better support students at this crucial stage. It will also give staff the opportunity to contribute to the wider debate around the role of librarians as teachers.