INFORMATION LITERACY: Furthering the Cause of Higher Education in Pakistan.

摘要

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of information literacy for facilitating higher education in Pakistan. It signifies the need for Pakistani university libraries to give serious consideration in formulating a proper policy and mission statement on making their students information literate. It is based on the notion that information environment is complex and is changing rapidly. Individuals have to learn critical thinking and research skills in the evaluation of information in their fields of interests. University libraries of Pakistan have not developed any formal policy on information literacy to enable all its users to meet their educational and information needs independently. Teaching the users about library structure, resources and services and information retrieval and research skills is of great value. Particular importance must be given to this, to enable users to make effective and efficient use of library for independent study and research. Various factors were identified for impeding the successful execution of a quality information literacy programme as: lack of proper policy by the authorities, lack of assessment of library users' educational and information needs, inadequate in-service training for library staff, lack of research on the subject into Pakistani perspective, poor response from the students and teachers, and insufficient budget for acquiring audio-visual aids. It reviewed various IL models by the countries with advanced education and librarianship systems. It proposed for the formation of a national committee consisted on the stakeholders for the improvement of the situation and creating a knowledge society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]