1. The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.
2. The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.
3. The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledgebase and value system.
4. The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
5. The information literate student understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.
Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information."
As students move through the undergraduate years, the library hopes to provide repeated opportunities for seeking, evaluating and managing information. These opportunities would include general introductions to library-provided materials and research education for each discipline, with an overriding theme of critically evaluating information in all formats.
The library maintains that gaining skills in information literacy multiplies the opportunities for students’ self-directed learning as they become engaged in using a wide variety of information sources to answer questions and acquire knowledge. Information literacy rests on the principle that achieving competency in this cluster of abilities is woven into the curriculum, not extraneous to it.