Information Literacy (IL) is one of the practical goals emphasized by Bryn Athyn’s Core Program. The Swedenborg Library encourages the development of IL both through its support of Core Program courses and through assistance given to all students who use Swedenborg Library resources.
To help students become wise information consumers and lifelong learners, by developing in them the abilities to effectively find, evaluate and apply information.
Bryn Athyn’s IL goals align with those outlined by the Association of College and Research Libraries. These goals aim to supply students with the skills to:
- Frame the research question
- Access sources
- Evaluate sources
- Analyze, synthesize, and evaluate content
- Use information for specific purpose
- Understand issues affecting the use of information (observe laws, regulations and institutional policies)
- Assess the information seeking process and product
Courses at Bryn Athyn that promote IL include:
- Classroom activities on finding, evaluating, citing, and using information in print and electronic sources from the Swedenborg Library, Internet, and other sources. Courses should address question concerning the ethical use of information, copyright, plagiarism, and other related issues.
- Assignments, course work, or tutorials that make extensive use of the Swedenborg Library, Internet, and other informational sources. Assignments should include finding, evaluating, and citing information sources.
- At least one research project that requires students to find, evaluate, cite, and use information presented in diverse formats from multiple sources and to integrate this information within a single project, paper, or report.