Get Started With Information Literacy

Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.” -ACRL Framework.

a book stack at the Auraria Library

Our Instructional Goals

In our teaching we aim to: 

  • Recognize and honor students’ lived experiences 
  • Explore the complex, iterative, and political nature of information and research 
  • Discuss information creation and use as they arise in different, situated contexts 
  • Emphasize the transferability of information literacy in- and outside academic contexts 
glasses resting on an open book at the library

Let's Get Started.

Use the form below to request Information Literacy instruction. Please review our existing asynchronous modules and video tutorials before requesting an instruction session.

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Our Instructional Scope

Our teaching includes discussions such as: 

How research is based in inquiry, including articulating and defining the scope and purpose of research. In practice, this includes:

  • Creating research questions and topic development 

  • “Presearching” or surveying a topic 

  • Identifying and articulating research needs 

Structures of information and searching. In practice, this includes: 

Crafting and refining search strategies 

  • Keyword searching 

  • Facet/advanced searching 

  • “Citation chaining”/Cited Reference Searching 

  • Discovery tools (e.g., Start My Research) 

Distinguishing between types of information sources to respond to research needs 

  • Search engine algorithms and bias  

  • Scholarly and popular resources  

  • Types of Information sources, including (but not limited to) journal articles, books, newspapers, magazines, trade publications, social media, and Wikipedia  

Synthesizing and evaluating information. In practice, this includes:

Creating research questions and topic development

  • Reading and analyzing information and texts

  • Evaluating for relevancy and/or credibility 

  • Exploring the nature of authority and expertise 

  • Choosing and defining ‘evidence’; using evidence to build arguments