Developing Information Literacy Skills Programmes-ACURIL XXXVIII Jamaica Pre-Conference

As a satellite activity of the 2008 Annual Conference of the Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL XXXVIII JAMAICA), UNESCO, in collaboration with the University of the West Indies Department of Library and Information Studies and the University Mona Library, organized a 3 days workshop (30 May - 1 June; Montego Bay, Jamaica) aimed at introducing various professional groups to techniques for developing information literacy skills and programmes.

This workshop was a regional component of the UNESCO Training-the-Trainers in Information Literacy workshop series, which incorporates twelve geographic regions. The workshop series has as an overall goal “to train a cadre of promising and qualified information literacy trainers in each of the major geographic regions so that they, in turn, can educate other trainers in their respective regions and also begin educating directly the various ultimate beneficiary groups.”

There were 26 participants - library professionals from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and USA. They represented public library networks, teachers colleges, university libraries, special libraries and other institutions such as the Jamaican Ministry of Education and the Office of the Utility Regulation. The participants received training on topics including an introduction to the concepts of information literacy, conceptualising information needs, evaluation of information sources and experiences in the development of information literacy programmes.

A key output of the workshop was the action plan developed by 10 working groups to implement information literacy programmes in their organizations. Prizes for the best presentation were awarded to Jessica Lewis (Jamaica), Gemma Creighton-Lashley (Trinidad and Tobago) and Erica Davis (Jamaica).

This workshop is expected to result in the development of information literacy programmes in the participating institutions and the establishment of information literacy clubs in these institutions.

From UNESCO 16.06.2008