Information literacy is the ability to access, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources. It is the foundational skill for life-long learning and the "survival" skill for the 21st century, where rich information environments and job requirements require adults to read for information.

A individual who is information literate can...

• identify the need for information.
• access information effectively and efficiently by:
  • activating prior knowledge about the topic,
  • framing appropriate questions to guide the search for information,
  • determining research strategies, and
  • identifying and evaluating potential information resources.
• evaluate information critically and completely in terms of:
  • accuracy,
  • relevance,
  • currency,
  • point of view, and
  • application.
• organize and process information effectively by:
  • connecting to prior knowledge,
  • integrating and synthesizing information from a variety of sources,
  • making inferences, and
  • summarizing.
• applying information effectively and creatively to solve-problems and/or create new products.

Thus an individual who is information literate is...

• an organized investigator.
• a critical thinker.
• a creative thinker.
• an effective communicator.
• a responsible user of information.