Information Literacy: An International State of the Art

INFORMATION LITERACY:

AN INTERNATIONAL STATE-OF-THE ART REPORT
Second draft

May, 2007

Available at:

www.uv.mx/usbi_ver/unesco
Funding

UNESCO ID 600015

Reference: CII/INF/ABID/05/26660, CII/INF/ABID/05/26919

Contract Numbers 4500026660, 4500026919

Project Coordinator

Jesus Lau

Chair, Information Literacy Section/IFLA

[e-mail]

Mexico
Project team members

	Vera Petrova, Natalya Gendina and Alexander Fedorov (Russia) Chevillotte, Sylvie (France)		Russian Federation French Speaking Countries
	Fidzani, Babbakisi T.		Sub-Saharan Africa
	De Jager, Karin; Nassimbeni, Mary; and Underwood, Peter. (South Africa) Goff, Linda (USA)		South Africa USA and Canada
	Lau, Jesús (Mexico)		Latin America
	Pinto, Maria; and Sales, Dora (Spain)		Spain
	Peacock, Judy (Australia)		Australia
	Tolonen, Eva (Finland)		Nordic Countries
	Weber, Sheila and Claire McGuinness (United Kingdom)		UK and Ireland

Boca del Rio, Veracruz, Mexico.



Table of Contents
General Introduction 5
I. Australia 7

Judy Peacock
A. Introduction 7

B. Online learning tools (IL Products for Users) 9

C. Publications 12

D. Organizations, Associations and Peak Bodies 17

E. Training the Trainers (Professional Development) 19

F. Communication 21

G. Key players in information literacy 21

H. Conclusions 22

I. References 23
II. French Speaking Countries:

Belgium, France, Quebec, Switzerland 25

Sylvie Chevillote
A. Introduction (An Overview) 25

B. IL Products for users 27

C. Publications 29

D. Organizations 30

E. Training the Trainers 31

F. Communication 31

G. Francophone African Countries 32

H. Conclusions 32

I. References 32
III. Latin America 33

Jesus Lau
A. Introduction 33

B. IL Products for Users 34

C. Publications 36

D. Organizations 37

E. Training the Trainers 38

F. Communication 38

G. Conclusions 39

H. References 39

IV. Nordic Countries:

Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden 51

Eva Tolonen
A. Introduction 51

B. IL Products for Users 53

C. Publications 54

D. Organizations 55

E. Training the trainers 55

F. Communication 55

G. Conclusions 56

H. References 56

V. Russian Federation 57

Alexander Fedorov, Vera Petrova and Natalya Gendina
A. Introduction 57

B. IL Products for users 68

C. Publications 74

D. Organizations 75

E Research Project/ Research Centers 75

F Training the trainers 75

G. Communication 76

H. Conclusions 76

I. References 76
VI. Spain 81

Maria Pinto and Dora Sales
A. Introduction 81

B. IL Products for users 82

C. Publications 95

D. Organizations 102

E. Training the trainers 103

F. Communication 105

G. Conclusions 112

H. References 113

VII. Sub-Saharan Africa 115

Babbakisi T. Fidzani
A. Introduction 115

B. IL Products for users 116

C. Organizations 117

D. Communication 118

E. Conclusions 118

F. References 118

VIII. United Kingdom and Ireland 121

Sheila Webber and Claire McGuiness
A. Introduction 121

B. Products for users 125

C. Publications 127

D. Organizations 127

E. Training the trainers 128

F. Communication 129

G. Conclusions 130

H. References 131

IX. United States and Canada 135

Linda Goff
A. Introduction 135

B. Key Players 136

C. Significant Organizations 137

D. Information Literacy in Canada 138

E. Current Trends and Issues 139

F. Conclusion 141

G. Resource List - United States and Canada 142

1. Online learning tools (IL Products for Users) 142

2. Standards, Rubrics and Accreditation 145

3. Publications 147

4. Organizations 148

5. Training the Trainers (Professional Development) 150

6. Assessment Projects and Research Articles 151

7. Communication Listservs and Blogs 152

8. References 153
X. South Africa 157

Karin de Jager, Mary Naisembini and Peter Underwood

A. Introduction 157

B. IL Products for Users 160

C. Publications 163

D. Organizations 170

E. Training the Trainers 170

F. Communication 170

G. Conclusions 170

H. References 170

General Introduction
Background
The information literacy initiative of UNESCO/IFLA requires an assessment of what has been achieved in leading countries, and explore what direction should be taken to foster further development in libraries and nations that need to start a program in this field. As part of the project, an international database was created to compile a directory of information literacy resources.
The directory website is available since late January, 2006 at www.uv.mx/usbi_ver/unesco. The input of records is open to anyone interested in reporting IL resources, either the author or users of such tools. Regional/language coordinators were appointed, plus country contacts whose role was to promote the directory in their geographical or language regions. However, the directory database is just gaining momentum in the information literacy world community. The database records information literacy outcomes that could be used as a model/guide for new information literacy actions in different parts of the world. The directory, in a few words, benefits the international community because some of these tools could be used as they are, can be adapted or can serve as examples to build new information literacy applications.
The International State of the Art Report
This international report on the state of the art of Information Literacy in different corners of the world attempts to give an overview of what is going on in the subject. The project was funded by UNESCO, throug the Information Literacy Section of the International Federation of Libraries and Associations (IFLA).
The goal of the report is to identify information literacy trends around the world in five broad subjects: resources for user education; publications devoted to the subject; organizations, such as associations, and other professional groups; training programs for IL facilitators; and communication events, such a conferences, and meetings. The data reported was obtained doing a literature search and was limited to English, Spanish and French languages due to the linguistic limitations of the research team. An additional information source was the International Information Literacy Resources Directory of UNESCO/IFLA, a repertory compiled under the same UNESCO grant as this report, more information about this reference tool is provided in the next paragraphs. The state-of-the art report is divided into five categories, which are similar to the taxonomy used in the directory database, plus a general introduction, and a section of concluding remarks about the actions required at international level to create an international literacy agenda for citizens of all walks of life. The full scheme is at the end of the document (Please, See Proposed outline). The writing style is schematic for easy reading.
Different experts, those active at IFLA, were approached and asked to write a report about their regions or countries. Some guidelines were prepared to propose a layout for the different topics to be covered in the document; most of the experts follow the plan, however, each of them gave their own slant or personal highlighting to the topics they consider most important in ther countries or regions. There are some reports that go into details, such as the one on Spain, which is lenghty and well documented despite it deals with a single country; to certain extent, the same can be held in regard to the reports on the United Kingdom and Latin America. Some others are brief, like that of Africa and the one that covers the US and Canada, however, it has been requested to the authors to give more details or more text to their reports.
Despite the differences on each report, there is a great source for any educator or librarian interested in information literacy, that is, the different websites, and the bibliography of the main documents produced by each region or country. The report is a living document, it can be changed, updated according to whoever reads it and is willing to share opinions.
The document will be discussed in an open session during the next IFLA World Library and Information Conference to be held in Durban, south africa, where participants will be asked to review and check the accuracy of the document in regard to their countries or regions.
Each report is divided in seven up tu nine sections, and each one of them is divided according to the information that each author regarded important. The countries included within the report are certainly those who are leading in information literacy in the wolrd scene. It is assumed that countries like Germany, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands and others have IL activity; these are not yet included, although we expect to have contributors in the next year or so. The asian continent, North Africa and Eastern Europe are missing in the report; hopefully, after this report is opened to the public, some volunteers will help by giving an overview about their countries.
Jesús Lau,

Project Cordinator,

Chair, Information Literacy Section/IFLA

México.

I. Australia