Information Literacy 1973-2002: A Selected Literature Review

MORETHAN 5000 PUBLICATIONS related to library user instruction and information literacy have been published and reviewed in the past thirty years. New developments in education and technology during the last two decades have affected user instruction and have led to the emergence of information literacy. Based on needs related to the rapid development of information technology and the evolving information society, librarians have begun teaching information skills to all types of users to ensure that they gain information fluency so they can become productive and effective information users both in the education environment and in the work environment. The number of publications related to user instruction and information literacy, like the field itself, show phenomenal growth during the past three decades as demonstrated by the fact that in 1973 twenty-eight publications were reviewed, and in 2002 more than 300 publications dealing with the topic of information literacywill be issued. It is noteworthy that in the last decade there has been a tremendous growth in publications related to information literacy globally. During the 1970s,publications indicate that user instruction activities were of concern primarily to librarians in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. At the present time, publications indicate a major concern with information literacy not only in the countries mentioned above but also in China, Germany, Mexico, Scandinavia, Singapore, South Africa, South America, Spain, and others. On an annual basis, the majority of the publications have addressed information literacy in academic libraries (60 percent) followed by publications related to information literacy instruction in school media centers (20 percent) . Hannelore B. Rader, Dean, University Libraries, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292 LIBRARY TRENDS, Vol. 51, No. 2, Fall 2002, pp. 242-259 02002 The Board of Trustees, University of Illinois RADER/SELECTED LITERATURE REVIEW 243 Table 1. Number of Publications Reviewed 1973-2002 Year Total Year Total