About the ANU Information Literacy Program

What is Information Literacy?

With the rapid development of information and communication technologies, the scope and diversity of information used in the learning process has become enormous. Developing the skills, knowledge and fluency to effectively utilise this information is a major challenge for all students. The associated group of learning outcomes is currently referred to as "Information Literacy". The Australian Information Literacy Standards are endorsed by the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) Information Literacy Standards.

In order to encourage the development of information literacy, the ANU established a campus-wide Information Literacy Program (ILP) for students and staff. In 2004 the Australian and New Zealand Information Literacy Framework: principles, standards and practice (PDF 406KB) [Second edition] was released. This document has become a cornerstone document for the ILP.

The training units offered on this website are part of the ANU's commitment to information literacy development and are delivered by professional educators attuned to the information needs of students.

The Information Literacy Program (ILP) at the ANU

Background

The ILP is a Program within the Division of Information. Contact details of staff associated with the Program are available through the Contacts link. The ILP at the ANU was established as a result of recommendations made in the Information Policy Working Party Report (2000) (PDF 465KB). Another working party established by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Development and Information Systems) developed a framework for the Program, which was formally accepted by the University - Achieving Information Literacy (2001) (PDF 163KB).

Core Activities

The Information Literacy Program provides training on everything you need to know to survive and thrive in the rich information and computing environment at ANU. Discover how to access your ANU email account, find an Information Commons computer, unearth your online course materials, do research for your assignments among world-class electronic resources and over 2.5 million physical texts, and setup access to ANU facilities from your home computer.

Sessions run throughout the year and include:

• introductory sessions on how to get the most out of ANU Information Commons computers
• basic and advanced internet searching techniques
• Library Discovery Tours
• instruction in using discipline specific electronic databases and electronic journals
• IT training in programs such as Dreamweaver, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, SPSS, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, EndNote
• sessions specifically related to Art, Music, Law, Asia Pacific, Science and Social Sciences and Humanities.

The ILP at the ANU has three target audiences:

• Undergraduates
• Graduates
• Staff

The Information Literacy Program runs a number of training and presentation activities, including:

• Generic information & IT skills training for all students and academic and general staff with a specialised program for graduate students. Please register via the Training and Skills Development link in the main menu.
• In curriculum programs to support learning outcomes for undergraduate and postgraduate students. These sessions are developed in consultation with course convenors. Please contact the Information Literacy Program for further information.
• Tutors' Induction Programs. These are available twice a year and advertised to tutors via the College network.
• Online interactive tutorials, guides and help sheets. Refer to the Training and Skills Development link in the main menu.

For your reference, the notes from the ILP training sessions are available from the ILP Alliance site.

The Information Literacy Program is one provider of training at the ANU. For more information about ANU training providers, visit the ANU Training and Development Providers website.