SI InfoLit - Information Matters

For decades, the golden rule of information literacy was simple: check the source. Who wrote the article? When was it published? Does the URL end in .gov or .edu? Those questions still matter, but in today’s digital ecosystem, they are no longer enough. Modern users don’t just read static webpages; they navigate a chaotic blend of search engine snippets, algorithmic social feeds, influencer testimonials, and AI-generated summaries. In high-stakes arenas like personal health, evaluating a single “source” is no longer the primary task. The real challenge is making sense of an entire information environment.

Featured Original

May 22, 2026 Andrew Walsh

Neurodiverse Perceptions of Information Literacy

In many academic and professional settings, IL is treated as something people either possess or lack. Once someone is qualified or trained, they are often assumed to be information literate by default. In contrast, we believe that becoming information literate in the workplace is a continuous, effortful, and highly contextual process, particularly for neurodivergent people, for example, for autistic librarians in the workplace.

Original

May 13, 2026 John Budd

Information Literacy and Fulfillment: From Past to Present

It was more than fifty years ago that Paul Zurkowski (1974) coined the term “information literacy.” To be sure, education preceded that date in the form of bibliographic instruction, library instruction, and other names. That earlier instruction tended to be concentrated on assisting students and others with the rudiments of searching, locating physical items, and citing the found items properly. Zurkowski signaled a break with the past by his recognition of the complexity of ever-increasing amounts and kinds of information.

Translation

May 7, 2026 Tim Zijlstra

Opposite ends of the Tay: Collaboration between the NHS and Public Libraries in Tayside (Scotland)

Opposite Ends of the Tay explores a growing collaboration between NHS Tayside and public libraries to strengthen information literacy and support preventative, person‑centred healthcare. Set against stark health inequalities in Scotland, it argues that libraries are vital community infrastructure for enabling people to find, judge and use health information safely.