"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)
The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy was adopted by the ACRL Board in January 2016. The Framework serves as an update to the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. The Framework's construction is informed by the theory of "Threshold Concepts" developed by Jan H.F. Meyer, Ray Land, and Caroline Baillie.
The ACRL Framework is broken up into six core interconnected frames, each of which is central to information literacy as a whole. All six frames are listed below, along with brief descriptions.
Authority Is Constructed and Contextual
Information resources reflect their creators’ expertise and credibility and are evaluated based on the information need and the context in which the information will be used. Authority is constructed in that various communities may recognize different types of authority. It is contextual in that the information need may help to determine the level of authority required.
Click here for the Knowledge Practices & Dispositions.
Information Creation as a Process
Information in any format is produced to convey a message and is shared via a selected delivery method. The iterative processes of researching, creating, revising, and disseminating information vary, and the resulting product reflects these differences.
Click here for the Knowledge Practices & Dispositions.
Information Has Value
Information possesses several dimensions of value, including as a commodity, as a means of education, as a means to influence, and as a means of negotiating and understanding the world. Legal and socioeconomic interests influence information production and dissemination.
Click here for the Knowledge Practices & Dispositions.
Research as Inquiry
Research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions whose answers in turn develop additional questions or lines of inquiry in any field.
Click here for the Knowledge Practices and Dispositions.
Scholarship as Conversation
Communities of scholars, researchers, or professionals engage in sustained discourse with new insights and discoveries occurring over time as a result of varied perspectives and interpretations.
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Searching as Strategic Exploration
Searching for information is often nonlinear and iterative, requiring the evaluation of a range of information sources and the mental flexibility to pursue alternate avenues as new understanding develops.
