The Information Literacy Competency Standards are a tool for developing instruction and for assessing learning. As such they can be adapted to local uses and unique situations, and into disciplinary-based guidelines for accreditation.
Adapting the Standards is to make them more detailed for a specific discipline. In this example for students of Literature:
| Literature Standards | IL Standard |
|---|---|
| Student uses Library of Congress Subject Headings, knows that Shakespeare is the pattern heading for authors and “Authors, English” the pattern heading for groups of authors. Student understands fully the implications of this. | Standard 2.2.c Selects controlled vocabulary specific to the discipline or information retrieval source. |
| Student is able to locate materials using Library of Congress classification numbers. Student is very familiar with the Library of Congress “P” schedule, that literature within the “P” schedule is by country and within each country by time period and within each time period by author’s last name and that within each author number there is a further breakdown for texts, translations and criticism. Student understands the construct of an author number. | Standard 2.3.b Uses various classification schemes and other systems to locate information resources. |
Some institutions have developed standards prior to the writing and adoption of the IL Competency Standards for Higher Education. Many of these institutions are now reviewing and revising their local standards and adapting them to incorporate the national Standards. Some of these include the Colorado State Department of Education and the State University of New York System.
Other ways that the Standards have been used and adapted can be seen in these Case Studies.
More Examples of Adapting the Standards
Standards Programs in Other Countries
Translated Versions of the Information Literacy Competency Standards:
- Chinese Translation (PDF)
- Farsi Translation (PDF)
- French Translation (PDF)
- Greek Translation (PDF)
- Italian Translation
- Japanese Translation (PDF)
- Slovenian Translation (PDF)
- Spanish Translation