During ALA Midwinter earlier this month, the ACRL Board of Directors officially approved the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, which the organization released last year. The Board noted that it has received substantial feedback on the new framework, which many librarians have applied to their day-to-day work, conferences and meetings, and social-media activities. As it moves forward with reviewing and improving the Framework, the Board is emphasizing several points.
- The Framework is a “dynamic” document that has significant flexibility and can be modified as new issues or challenges arise. To make it more clear just what purpose the Framework serves, the ACRL Information Literacy Frameworks and Standards Committee is crafting a definition for frameworks that is similar to the one in ACRL’s Guide to Policies and Procedures.
- During this summer’s ALA Annual Conference, the Board will make a decision on the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. These standards, which can be accessed here, make up an all-encompassing document that covers every major area of higher education and information literacy, including the topics discussed in the Framework.
- ACRL recognizes that many academic librarians are using the Framework in conjunction with the Standards, particularly for assessment at the library and institution-wide levels. It will consider creating a separate document, similar to the Standards but tailored specifically to complement the Framework.
- To give librarians an opportunity to share what they have learned through applying the Standards, ACRL is offering, or plans to make available, several resources. These include a WordPress site that is updated regularly; and an online “sandbox”, or collaborative space, that ACRL will launch in late spring or early summer.
To see the full update, go here.