2.1 Information literacy

Information literacy was introduced in the 1970s and has become the most important mission of libraries. The concept and how it evolved is integral to the role of a library fundraiser. There is a tremendous amount of scholarship on the topic, and this chapter touches on the highlights. Information literacy is the foundation for nearly every case for supporting the library, but it is not widely understood by those outside the information and education communities. In fact, most potential donors have never heard of it. It is shocking for those of us in the library and higher education sector to think that this is the case, but information literacy is a new concept to many. As integral to education and the professional world as it is, and as much as the academic library is the leader in this endeavor, information literacy has gone unnoticed by most university alumni. As a result, the first step in cultivating information literacy as a case for giving is to define it to donors. The second is to explain why it’s necessary. Only then can you position it for support.

Information literacy is to the modern academic library what book and journal stacks, reference librarians, study carrels, and microfilm were to the library of the past. That is to say, it is the core of the library mission. In every sense including the design of library spaces, it is what informs decisions about collections, programming and services. The best news is that once donors understand what that is and why we have it, they might very well discover an unexpected connection to the academic library. That’s because information literacy goes far beyond student success and research to finding success in the world at large.

The American Library Association defines it this way:

Most donors (particularly baby boomers, who represent at this time the greatest philanthropic potential) will need to make a journey of discovery in order to connect to the concept.

Shirley Behrens writes about the history of the concept and the factors that were the impetus of the creation of the concept in the first place. The challenge that prompted this new way of defining librarians' roles was the proliferation of information that began in the 1970s. Further, there was concern that the media, having so much more information to convey within the existing parameters of space and time, were making unguided choices about what they were communicating (p. 310). So the first concern was that the public should be made aware that what they were hearing leveraged only a fraction of available information. Information professionals hoped that this awareness would encourage people to do their own investigation. The second concern was that the public needed to be taught to evaluate whether the information encountered was relevant and reputable. A succinct term for the concern at this time in libraries was what Cees Hamelink, a mass communications consultant in the mid-1970s, called “pre-digested explanations” (p. 310). The history of how the concept evolved is compelling on its own. Bridging that history to the way it is being leveraged in your library becomes a case for support.

Let’s take a step back for a moment and put information literacy into context for the fundraiser and donor. At the early stage, libraries were the one industry that recognized the consequence of rapidly expanding information and the responsibility of individuals to make sure that what they were being told was the full story and the correct interpretation.

The next big leap began in the 1980s with the emergence of digital information. In 2010, Eric Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer of Google, told an audience at the Techonomy conference in Lake Tahoe, California, “Every two days now we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003” (Siegler, 2010). This explosion of information in the last 30 years is truly phenomenal. As a result, William Demo warned in 1986 that “only people who possessed the necessary skills would be able to benefit fully from the information age” (p. 312). For fundraisers in the academic library, this emerges as the single greatest case for philanthropic giving in the library portfolio. It also expands the concept of the academic library beyond campus improvements and support for students and researchers to a mission that impacts the world at large. For donors with a passion for their institution, it is compelling to think that their beloved institution can have such an impact.

Once you are able to get this startling truth across to potential donors, the next step is to identify the specific areas, collections or programs that are furthering education and training, creating not only campus impact but global impact. From those options, you may align one or two areas with their personal giving affinity to position their giving into something tangible and meaningful to them.

2.2 Education and student success

Students who are taught information literacy get a broader understanding of their subject area, are more successful on exams, and interact with information beyond their specific area of study. Donors can support the information literacy and informed learning programming in libraries or sponsor student awards related to information literacy.

2.3 Curriculum development/informed learning

Library faculty who specialize in information literacy are working with university faculty to integrate it into the curriculum. One thing that often goes unnoticed is the need to help subject matter faculty learn how to teach information literacy to their students. Many academic libraries partner with the provost office to mentor and train faculty across campus. Donors can support programs to train faculty or sponsor library faculty positions that specialize in information literacy and training for informed learning.

2.4 Career readiness

Corporations and professional organizations have come to universities and asked them to better prepare students for the workplace by integrating information literacy. While graduates are often strong in tangible skills, their lack of competence with information is becoming a challenge in the work environment. Donors can support programs to train faculty or sponsor library faculty positions in order to boost the university's ability to deliver career-ready graduates.

2.5 Specific areas of study

Each area of study has its own version of information literacy as it relates to learning goals and the practice of the profession in question. Donors can support programming for information literacy at their college or department.