Alfabetizarea în domeniul informării, un instrument important în formarea
utilizatorilor bibliotecilor universitare
Doina Banciu
banciud@ici.ro
Universitatea din București, România
Agnes Erich
agnes_erich@yahoo.com
Universitatea ”Valahia” din Târgovişte, România
Rezumat: În prezent, societatea are de a face din ce în ce mai mult cu un mediu digital, al cărui impact poate fi observat în toate sectoarele vieţii sociale şi economice şi care a influenţat de asemenea şi pregătirea universitară. Astfel, este necesar să se introducă în procesul de formare, indiferent de domeniu, un curs de alfabetizare în domeniul informării şi documentării pentru dezvoltarea cunoştinţelor teoretice şi a aptitudinilor practice referitoare la fabricarea, prelucrarea şi comunicarea informaţiei. Biblioteca universitară joacă un rol important în domeniul cercetării ştiinţifice, oferind sprijin educaţional pentru universităţi în atingerea obiectivelor acestora. Instruirea privind alfabetizarea în domeniul informării trebuie să fie unul dintre cursurile oferite de către bibliotecile universitare al căror scop este acela de a-şi educa utilizatorii să facă faţă unei societăţi bazate pe cunoaştere. În această lucrare am încercat să demonstrăm importanţa alfabetizării în domeniul informării şi documentării ca un instrument important în informarea utilizatorilor bibliotecii universitare despre colecţiile sale, servicii şi alte activităţi, cu scopul de a-i stimula să folosească biblioteca pentru a-şi consolida şi dezvolta procesele de învăţare şi cercetare ştiinţifică. De asemenea, bazându-ne pe chestionarele completate de studenţi de la Universitatea Valahia din Târgovişte am încercat să obţinem un feedback privind aşteptările lor referitoare la utilizarea bazelor de date online.
Cuvinte cheie: alfabetizarea în domeniul informării, bibliotecă universitară, baze de date online, societatea cunoaşterii.
Introducere: Due to the diversification of information technologies, to the speed with which are produced changes in the Internet search tools and to the plurality of ways to access information, the specific users in higher education are faced with a growing production of information. To cope with current challenges, they must have certain specific skills that require training in the information literacy, because the new technologies create opportunities for learners but they must be approached critically and used correctly. According to one of the many definitions given to the “information literacy” concept, we think that the following one is most covering: to be able “to identify, through whatever channel or medium, information well fitted to information needs, leading to wise and ethical use of information in society.”[1]
Information literacy became a necessary requirement for academic students in the knowledge society and academic libraries are able to cultivate them in this area. In this context librarians must be part of this process to inform and empower learning with technology that enables users to access information in its many forms and formats—real and virtual—and use it responsibly. As the availability of online databases grew and users need special training, librarians become even more concerned about training students in using libraries and information and a report of the American Library Association provides an excellent rationale for academic librarians to integrate information literacy programs into the curriculum.
In this situation, academic libraries have a crucial role in forming an information culture to their users so they have to be able to know the library offer, to be familiar with its services, to learn how to access information, to know how to use various sources of information. To obtain feedback from users of Valahia University of Targoviste Library, in terms of accessing online databases, a service increasingly sought and appreciated, we have initiated a research among them, based on questionnaires. These were distributed to a sample of 237 students, Ph. D. students and master students. The purpose of this study was mainly to find out which on line databases are accessed by specific users of the library, in the context in which the university must take a conclusive decision about purchasing them. Also, this research provides a basis for further investigations into the aspects of service which students consider being important in their overall experience, and the changes that libraries must need to make to meet expectations of its users.
In this paper we try to demonstrate the importance of information literacy instruction, as an important tool to inform academic library users about its collections, services and other activities, in order to stimulate them to use the library for supporting and developing their learning and scientific research processes.
Concluzii: The university libraries and implicitly all educational structures faced with challenges due to the new information and communication development and changes that affect every program and process. In present educational reforms are taking place in Romania to improve educational outcomes and these developments causing major changes. Curriculum reform is necessary because students and employers are demanding improved educational outcomes to ensure better individual and business productivity. In this context librarians must maximize their potential to be in the position to assume their role in the teaching and learning process.
Each university has to develop educational strategies and learning resources to help students develop information literacy skills. It is necessary to have an active and continuing program concerning information access, developed and supported by the faculty’s makers, librarians and other information providers because we must be willing to promote and share our experience in this information age in support of our institutional educational mission.
In conclusion, information literacy is now one of the most essential skills in our universities because it implies three very important linked steps: becoming aware of your own information needs, being able to perform efficient information retrieval, being able to evaluate and use the results obtained. There is evidence in information behaviour research, as well as the authors’ own research, which can help understand the nature of information, and information literacy, within different disciplines [9]. Making use of the research evidence may also be useful in opening up a dialogue with academics and stimulating them to reflect on their own practice.
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