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Created May 1, 2007

In support of the Library’s instruction program and the College’s general education curriculum, the Palomar College Library has adopted the following set of information literacy learning outcomes. The library will support the outcomes listed below through a variety of instructional services including course-integrated library instruction; online, self-paced instructional materials; development of instructional materials for use by course instructors; and individual student research assistance.

1. Recognize the need for information for any purpose (academic, work, personal).
2. Identify and use library services and resources (online and physical) to support their information needs.*
3. Identify appropriate search tools, including the library catalog, subscription databases, and Internet search engines, to find print and electronic materials on their topic.*
4. Use appropriate search terms and limit features to narrow or broaden a search topic.*
5. Recognize that the research process may require time, persistence, and more than one search to find appropriate information on a topic.*
6. Evaluate information gathered by such criteria as: relevance, authority, bias, currency, peer review process.*
7. Acknowledge the use of information sources within student’s own written/oral/visual work.
8. Identify the type of source and cite source properly according to appropriate style guide.*

*The Palomar College Library Instruction Program focuses on teaching and assessing these outcomes.

The above learning outcomes are based on the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competencies (http://www.acrl.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/informationliteracy.htm) and “A Checklist of Information Competencies for College Students” created by a team of California State University and California community college librarians (www.topsy.org/ChecklistLoUp05.pdf)