Information Literacy in an Online World
Information Literacy is the ability identify an information need and to locate and evaluate appropriate resources to satisfy this need. As more and more information and communication has moved online information literacy has become closely tied to computer literacy. Individuals who find themselves on the bottom of the digital divide often lack skills necessary to compete and thrive in today's society. These individual may lack the ability to find work, stay informed of laws and rights, obtain social and financial services, and are at an increased risk for online scams and identity theft. The level and quality of general public discourse is also affected by information literacy rates. This presentation will take a look at how age and economics are tied to information literacy, provide insights gleaned through library reference work in public, academic, and legal libraries, and discuss on how design can promote information literacy and computer literacy.
Presenters
Laura Larsell is an Ontologist at Trapit in Portland, Oregon. She holds and MSIS from the University of Texas at Austin and a BA from Reed College. She has worked in academic and public libraries, digital archives, and taught computer literacy courses.