About Us: Information Literacy Program

Information Literacy is defined by the Association of College and Research Libraries (2015) as "the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced, valued and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning."

The Charles H. Trout Library offers an information literacy program through librarian-led, in-class workshops. The goal of the program is to incorporate information literacy skills, as defined in the ACRL 2015 Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, into the curriculum offered at Harcum College. Librarians partner with faculty to customize the session to course assignments.  You may request a librarian to attend class. 

• The sessions/workshops are taught in classrooms or virtually. Please note it is a policy that instructors are required to stay with the class during the library session. This is to demonstrate to students the value of information literacy instruction and to provide clarification of assignment requirements. 

• The ideal length for a session is 40-50 minutes. This allows for the inclusion of active learning exercises to improve student engagement and retention of learned material. You can see sample lesson plans and activities in the Library Instruction Lesson Guide.

Goals and Mission

• support research assignments and curriculum

• teach students to locate print and electronic sources

• educate students to evaluate sources for accuracy, authority, currency, bias, and relevancy

• encourage the pursuit of lifelong learning

• assess student learning outcomes regarding search strategies and literacy concepts utilizing worksheets, in-class activities, and online quizzes

If you would like to schedule an Information Literacy session:

• submit a Information Literacy & Research Skills Request, view the Information Literacy Modules, email library@harcum.edu or call 610-526-6084 

Source