Information Literacy
Mission
As the primary college gateway to information, the George T. Potter Library is uniquely situated to promote information literacy, and the library faculty is dedicated to developing an information literate community. Information Literacy, as defined by the American Library Association, is the set of abilities that enables individuals to recognize when information is needed and then to locate, evaluate, and use it effectively (1989). Information Literacy contributes to the individual’s ability to think critically and use information efficiently and ethically, and forms the basis for lifelong learning.
The George T. Potter Library faculty encourage the development of an information literate college community in the following ways:
- By collaborating with colleagues across the campus to integrate information literacy into academic programs
- By promoting the use of library resources in all formats, inasmuch as familiarity with both print and electronic formats is essential
- By providing instruction formally and informally, to individuals and to classes, in person and online
- By working to make every interaction at the library, especially reference questions, a learning opportunity for users
- By evaluating the effectiveness of our approaches and constantly renewing our own skills
