Information literacy is for life, not just for a good degree: a literature review

The concept and practice of information literacy has been widely discussed in library and information professional literature in recent years. In the main, these discussions have focussed on practice in Higher Education (HE), specifically on how librarians may be involved in developing the skills of students to enable them to maximise the use of academic resources, predominantly librarybased, in order to meet the requirements of learning outcomes of their courses. More recently this focus has widened to examine transition from school and Further Education (FE) into University but also into the workplace, recognising the UNESCO assertion that information literacy is a process for lifelong learning (UNESCO, 2006) (eg Antonesa, 2007, Julien & Barker, 2009). The identification of information literacy as an attribute of employability and the concepts, policies and practices of workplace information literacy is the subject of this review. Here, key texts are drawn from academic theoretical and practice-based research and official reports from stakeholders including government, professional associations and industry and commerce in order to provide an overview of the main issues around workplace information literacy, focusing on employability and transition, context and theory, practice and policy. The purpose of the review is to inform CILIP members of the wide range of issues in this developing area in order that they may contribute to its development at all levels in an informed manner.

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