Our Services - Information Literacy
Information Literacy

Information Literacy (IL)What IL Is and Why IL Is Important

Information Literacy is the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information.

Information Literacy helps us to cope by giving us the skills to know when we need information and where to locate it effectively and efficiently. It includes the technological skills needed to use the modern library as a gateway to information. It enables us to analyze and evaluate the information we find, thus giving us confidence in using that information to make a decision or create a product.

Information Literacy Program at USC Library System

 

  • Library Tour
     
  • Library Orientation provides a good understanding of the libraries core function, slogan, facilities, resources and services. This service is offered to undergraduate freshmen and transferees during the start of every semester in collaboration with the Department of Languages and Literature through the English 1 subject.
     
  • Library Instruction is also called user education. Its goal is to teach users how to search, evaluate, and use information and how to use the library effectively and independently. The Library Instruction module covers the following: Steps in Library Research and The Different Search Tools namely: Library of Congress List of Subject Heading, OPAC, Online Databases and the Internet. Generally given to formal classes, it may also be requested by small groups.
     
  • Bibliographic Instruction (BI) is an instructional program designed to teach library users how to locate the information they need quickly and effectively.
    • In USC library BI is done through:


    • Teaching patrons how to locate and use library materials
    • Teaching patrons how to evaluate the information they find
    • Introducing patrons to database searching
    • Introducing patrons to searching the library's online catalogues, indexes and abstracts
    • Helping patrons become aware of information as it exists in its different formats: print, non-print, electronic and online.

     
  • Library Tutorials

    Below are the list of tutorials made available for USC clients. The files are saved in Small Web Format (SWF). You may need to download and install the free software adobe flash player to view the files. Clicking on the links will open a new window and may take a while to load depending on the file size.

    Online Public Access Catalog

     
  • Bibliographic Assistance
    • Bibliography-Making Librarians prepare bibliographies on certain subjects upon request by departments.
       
    • Acquisitions Lists

      Librarians prepare and distribute acquisitions lists which enumerate the materials acquired by the libraries in certain periods within the semester. The lists are written in bibliographic format.