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Our Commitment to You


The DBS Library is committed to providing research education and support to all students.  In light of this, the Library has written and adopted an Information Literacy Policy Statement, in line with developments in the Higher Education sector.


Information Literacy Policy Statement


 “Ultimately, information literate people are those who have learned how to learn. They know how to learn because they know how knowledge is organized, how to find information and how to use information in such a way that others can learn from them. They are people prepared for lifelong learning, because they can always find the information needed for any task or decision at hand.”

(American Library Association 1989)

The ultimate goal of Dublin Business School Library’s Information Literacy activities and initiatives is to produce Information Literate graduates who have the requisite skills to navigate and exploit the vast array of information sources and mediums which are available to them in today’s information-rich society.  The ability to effectively utilise information in various forms is a highly transferable skill and contributes to creating highly employable graduates.


Definition and Context


splanbwIt has been globally recognised that Information Literacy is a key skill-set which is required by all citizens in order to enable them to function and flourish in today’s Information Society (UNESCO 2008).  In the Higher Education sector, this means the adoption of a recognised Information Literacy definition and the implementation of an Information Literacy educational framework.  For this purpose the Library of Dublin Business School has adopted the Information Literacy definition and framework set out by the Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL), (2007), which is detailed below.

Lifelong learning has long been affirmed by prominent educationalists to be a key goal of Higher Education due to changes in both student and industry expectations (Catts 2004).  Information Literacy is a standard that underpins Lifelong Learning, both personally and professionally.  As a situational skill in the workplace, Information Literacy is an indispensable expertise for all graduates together with skills such as professional communication and critical thinking (see model below) (Catts 2004).  The Library at Dublin Business School aims to provide students with the instruction and tools necessary to develop these skills throughout their period of study.


Hierarchical Model of General Skills



Raising Academic Standards


Research has shown that the provision of Information Literacy education can help students achieve “more effective and efficient learning” thereby raising academic standards (Catts 2004, p.2).  The Library of Dublin Business School aims to assist students in reaching their full academic potential by providing them with the tools and skills needed to effectively utilise, evaluate and synthesise the information resources available throughout their course of study.


Design and Delivery


The Library of Dublin Business School aims to provide Information Literacy education to students and staff in a variety of formats, specifically:

  • Library inductions, orientation sessions and Library tours
  • Generic extracurricular classes on topics such as referencing, avoiding plagiarism and essay writing.
  • Subject specific extracurricular classes for Business, Arts and Law students
  • Integrated bespoke classes as requested by Faculty
  • Embedded sessions as part of a specific module with direct collaboration with Faculty
  • Online materials and tutorials to assist and complement face-to-face learning
  • Hardcopy and electronic guides and materials to assist students and staff

The Library aims to design and deliver Information Literacy education with a learner-centred and developmental approach.  Learning styles and techniques will be employed in line with the College’s Learning and Teaching Strategy, which aims “to provide an excellent student-centred learning experience, with teaching of the highest quality that produces graduates who are equipped to lead successful lives and to contribute effectively to society” (DBS, Quality Assurance Handbook 2009).

Collaboration between the Library and other departments is an essential element of the development and implementation of Information Literacy education within the College.  According to the Consortium of National and University Libraries in Ireland (CONUL) (2005) the responsibility for developing and delivering students’ Information Literacy education is “a shared responsibility between academic departments, libraries and university administrators.”  In light of this the Library aims to collaborate with both academic and administrative staff in the development and implementation of Information Literacy activities and initiatives within the College.


Looking to the Future


In developing Information Literacy initiatives within the College the Library will continuously research and analyse best practices, case studies and developments in the Information Literacy field particularly within the Higher Education sector.  Furthermore the Information Literacy activities and initiatives provided by the Library will be evaluated using relevant assessment and evaluation tools and developed and amended to meet the changing needs of its users.   Information Literacy education will continue to be a priority for the Library in Dublin Business School and in collaboration with other departments, the Library will continue to promote, provide and advocate Information Literacy into the future.


References


American Library Association 1989, Presidential Committee on Information Literacy: Final Report.  Retrieved May 4, 2010 from http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/whitepapers/presidential.cfm

Catts, R. 2004, Lifelong learning and higher education – reflections and prospects. Retrieved May 4, 2010 from http://content.cqu.edu.au/FCWViewer/getFile.do?id=21549

Catts, R. 2004, Using ANZIIL Standards in Teaching and Learning in HE.  Retrieved May 4, 2010 from http://vxu.se/hum/utb/program/bop/nordinfo/catts2.ppt

Consortium of National and University Libraries (CONUL) 2005, Information literacy policy.  Retrieved May 4, 2010 from http://www.conul.ie/committees/documents/CONULILpolicyfinal.doc

Dublin Business School (DBS) 2009, Quality Assurance Handbook.

Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) 2007, The seven pillars of information literacy. Retrieved May 4, 2010 from http://www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_literacy/sp/model.html

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 2007, Understanding information literacy: a primer. Retrieved May 4, 2010 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001570/157020E.pdf