Information literacy in the university. Description and categorization according to ALFIN integration levels, Case of Universidad de Antioquia

Abstract

This article presents a structured analysis of the process currently being conducted by the Universidad of Antioquia to go from a traditional approach toward user education (library services) and digital literacy (acquisition of skills for the use of TIC) to a philosophy and practice of informational literacy (ALFIN) as a means toward lifelong learning and the creation of knowledge. Based on this case we review different document sources (diagnostics, research, publications, websites, intranets), we consider three areas (fields) of analysis which are useful as a diagnostic model for universities or educational institutions with respect to different components of ALFIN. Those sources are: Knowledge of specific social and organizational contexts, research-teaching processes, and learning processes. Finally, this text includes a proposal for the “Categorization of universities and university departments, departments/schools of librarianship-documentation and information sciences according to their degree of ALFIN integration”. This is applied to the University of Antioquia which serves as an example.