ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C & R L N e w s • M a r c h 2 0 0 0 / 2 1 5 style a n d u ses it c on s is te n tly to c ite sou rces; an d b . p o s ts p e r m is s io n g r a n te d n o tic e s , as n e e d e d , f o r c o p y r ig h te d m aterial. Appendix I: Selected information literacy initiatives • In 1989 th e A L A P re s id e n tia l C o m m itte e o n In fo r m a tio n L ite ra cy is su ed a F in a l Report, w h ic h d e fin e d fo u r c o m p o n e n ts o f in fo rm a tio n litera cy: th e a b ility to r e c o g n iz e w h e n in fo r m a tio n is n e e d e d a n d to lo c a te , eva lu ate, a n d u se e ffe c tiv e ly th e n e e d e d in fo rm a tio n . h ttp :/ / w w w .ala.o rg/ a crl/ n ili/ ilitls t.h tm l. • In 1990, th e N a tio n a l F o ru m o n In fo r m a tio n L ite ra cy (N F I L ) w a s fo u n d e d as a re s p o n s e to th e r e c o m m e n d a tio n s o f th e A L A P r e s id e n tial C o m m itte e F in a l Report. N F IL is a “c o a li tio n o f o v e r 75 e d u c a tio n , business, a n d g o v e rn m e n ta l o rg a n iz a tio n s w o r k in g to p r o m o te in te rn a tio n a l a n d n a tio n a l a w a re n e s s o f th e n e e d f o r in fo rm a tio n lite ra c y a n d e n c o u ra g in g a c tiv itie s le a d in g t o its a c q u is itio n .” F o ru m m e m b e rs p r o m o te in fo rm a tio n lite ra c y n a tio n ally, in te rn ation a lly, a n d w ith in th e ir o w n p r o gram s. h ttp :/ / w w w .in fo lit.o rg / in d e x .h tm l. • In M arch 1998 N F IL issu ed A Progress Report on In form a tion Literacy: A n Update on the A m erican Library Association Presidential Committee on In form a tion Literacy: F in a l Re p o rt. h t t p ://w w w . i n f o l i t .o r g / d o c u m e n t s / p ro gre ss .h tm l. • In 1998 th e A m e r ic a n A s s o c ia tio n o f S c h o o l Lib raries (A A S L ) a n d th e A s s o c ia tio n o f E d u ca tio n al C o m m u n ic a tio n s a n d T e c h n o lo g y (A E C T ) p u b lis h e d In form a tion Literacy Stan dards f o r Student Learning. T h e A A S L / A E C T stan dards d e ta il c o m p e te n c ie s fo r stud ents in K -1 2 . • S in ce 1989, in th e a b s e n c e o f n ation a l standards, m a n y states, s c h o o l districts, state u n iv ersity system s, a n d lo c a l in stitu tions h a v e d e v e lo p e d in fo r m a tio n lite ra c y c o m p e te n c y s ta n d a rd s , h ttp :/ / w w w .fiu .e d u / ~ lib r a r y / ili/ iliw e b .h tm l. Notes 1. A m e ric a n L ib rary A s s o c ia tio n . Presiden tia l Com m ittee on In form a tion Literacy. F in a l Report. (C h ic a g o : A m e ric a n Library A ssociation , 1989). http://w w w .ala.oı⅞ /acrl/n ili/ilitlst.h tm l. 2. N a tio n a l R e s ea rc h C o u n c il. C o m m is s io n o n P h y s ic a l S cien ces, M ath em atics, a n d A p p li cation s. C o m m itte e o n In fo r m a tio n T e c h n o l o g y L iteracy, C o m p u te r S c ie n c e a n d T e le c o m m u n ic a tio n s B o ard . Being Fluent with In fo r m ation Technology. (W a s h in g to n , D .C .: N a t i o n a l A c a d e m y P r e s s , 1 9 9 9 ). h tt p :/ / w w w .n a p .e d u / re a d in g ro o m / b o o k s / B e F IT / . 3. S e v e ra l k e y a c c re d itin g a g e n c ie s c o n c e rn e d w ith in fo rm a tio n litera cy are th e M id d le S ta te s C o m m is s io n o n H i g h e r E d u c a t io n (M S C H E ), th e W e s te rn A s s o c ia tio n o f S ch o o ls a n d C o lle g e (W A S C ), a n d th e S o u th ern A s s o c ia tio n o f C o lle g e s a n d S c h o o ls (S A C S ). 4. B o y e r C o m m is s io n o n E d u ca tin g U n d e r gradu ates in th e R esea rch U n iversity. Reinvent ing Undergraduate Education: A B lueprint f o r A m e r ic a ’s R esearch U n iversities, h ttp :/ / n otes.cc.su n ysb .ed u / P res/ b oyer.n sf/ . ■ L e t t e r to t h e e d it o r — N e ed to e n fo r c e s t a n d a r d s I w o r k w ith g ro u p s that a c c re d it o c c u p a tio n a l th erap ists, p h y s ic a l th erap ists, n urses, la w y e rs , e tc . In th e s e c a s es , e a c h a c c r e d itin g g r o u p has stan d ard s. I f y o u d o n 't m e e t th e stan d ard s, y o u are e v a lu a te d , w a r n e d , a n d i f th e s itu a tio n is n ’t c o r r e c te d , y o u h a v e y o u r a c c re d ita tio n r e m o v e d — o r y o u d o n 't g e t it in th e first p la c e . Is a c a d e m ic lib r a r ia n s h ip p r o fe s s io n a l e n o u g h t o e s ta b lis h s tan d ard s, e v a lu a te in s titu tion s a c c o r d in g t o th o s e stan d ard s, a n d th e n c e n s u re in stitu tion s that d o n 't m e e t th e standards? D o w e h a v e g u ts e n o u g h ? I th in k n o t— b u t w e s h o u ld . W e r e a lly m u st e sta b lish stan dards, m a y b e s lid in g s ta n d a rd s b a s e d o n fa c u lty a n d stu d e n t p o p u la tio n s , th e to ta l b u d g e t o f th e in s titu tion , etc . T h e n w e m u st e s ta b lis h p r o c e d u re s t o e x a m in e o u r m e m b e r in stitu tion s, ju d g e th e ir a d h e r e n c e t o th e stan d ard s, a n d ta k e a p p r o p r ia te a c tio n i f th e s tan d ard s are n o t m et. A r e w e p ro fe s s io n a ls — o r a re n 't w e ? A s a fo r m e r E n glish p r o fe s s o r I am a m a z e d at h o w c a u tio u s a n d s e e m in g ly s c a re d p r o fe s s io n a l lib raria n s s e e m t o b e .— D a v id M . H arralson, associate dean a n d d ire cto r o f the lib ra r , Utica College o f Syracuse University http://www.ala.org/acrl/nili/ilitlst.html http://www http://www.fiu.edu/~library/ili/ http://www.ala.o%c4%b1%e2%85%9e/acrl/nili/ilitlst.html http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/BeFIT/ 2 1 6 / C & R L N e w s ■ M a r c h 2 0 0 0