Contribution of an information literacy programme to the education process: the case of a Greek academic library

Abstract

he purpose of this paper is to explore the contribution of, and the need for, information literacy and information literacy programmes in the undergraduate education process. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents the case of a Greek educational institute, via related research, and describes the information literacy programme of the Alexander Technological Education Institute of Thessaloniki (ATEITh). The paper is based on a study at the Institution with the education staff and also the undergraduate students – patrons of the library. In both cases data were gathered using the method of questionnaires. Findings – The results of the study reveal the usefulness of information literacy programmes, and the need for the creation of an online information literacy tutorial in the ATEITh. The majority of the respondents in both studies believe that information literacy programmes could be exploited as a means of instruction and should be integrated in the departments’ curricula. Practical implications – The paper points up the contribution of the online information literacy programme in the teaching of courses dealing partially with information literacy that exist in the curricula of some departments and the motive for the integration of an autonomous credit information literacy course in every curriculum. Originality/value – The Library of the ATEITh is the first Greek academic library that through a survey has highlighted the need for developing and evaluating information literacy programmes as a means of reinforcing information literacy in the Greek academic community and at the same time it is the first Greek academic library to have developed its own information literacy programme.