Faculty-Librarian Partnerships to Teach Information Skills for the 21st Century.

Abstract

It is most important that students in higher education receive adequate education for productive work and scholarship in the technological information environment of the 21st century. Changes in the workforce, a knowledge-based economy, virtual environments, life-long learning and related factors are changing the climate within higher education around the world. Students must be prepared throughout their tenure in higher education to become productive employees and life long learners. One very important aspect of students" educational preparation deals with teaching them appropriate skills to handle information effectively and productively. Based on national criteria related to standards and outcome measurements, developed by the Association of College and Research Libraries in the United State, students should graduate from universities understanding how to use, apply and evaluate information effectively. This paper provides details about the five national information literacy standards and demonstrates a variety of methods in which faculty-librarian partnerships can successfully teach information skills.