"Information literacy&endash;the
ability to find and use information&endash;is the
keystone of lifelong learning." Information Power:
Building Partnerships for Learning."
In order to continue the
journey of learning into adulthood, a literate person
must possess certain essential skills relating to
managing information, understanding mass media,
and appreciating literature. Today’s student
routinely encounters information in formats as simple
as the picture book, as complex as the multimedia
package or Internet site, as diverse as the literary
classic and the personal home page, and as unknown
as the future.
The learning process and
the information search process mirror each other.
Core elements in both learning and information theory
converge to suggest that developing expertise in
accessing, evaluating, and using information is
the authentic learning that modern education seeks
to promote. Students endeavor to construct meaning
from the sources they encounter and to create products
that shape and communicate that meaning effectively.
The goal of a student-centered
library media program is to assist all students
in becoming active and creative locators, evaluators,
and users of information to solve problems and to
satisfy their own curiosity. With these abilities,
students can become independent learners who achieve
personal satisfaction and who contribute responsibly
and productively to society.
The cornerstone of the student-centered
library media program is the professionally trained
and licensed library media specialist who works
collaboratively with teachers, administrators, and
others to facilitate students’ entry into a
world characterized by instant accessibility to
vast stores of "information." As an essential partner
who both contributes to and draws from the expertise
of the learning community, the library media specialist
plays a role that:
- Begins with promoting
and reinforcing students’ interests and ability
in reading, listening and viewing;
- Expands to include fostering
the full range of information concepts, strategies,
and abilities students must master to profit from
the global resources at their fingertips; and
- Includes developing the
full range of abilities that students need to
interact effectively with information and connect
to meaningful knowledge.
