Information Literacy and Public Library Services in Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

The present age is an Information Age, and the pedagogic implications of this age are that people should learn new skills to use information stored in computers. Libraries and Information Centers have responded by acquiring information technology and encourage computer literacy. The information that is available through libraries, community resources, special interest organizations, media and Internet comes to individuals in unfiltered formats, arising questions about its authenticity, validity and reliability. In addition, information available through multiple media poses new challenges for individuals in understanding the landscape of information and to acquire knowledge of how to gather, evaluate and use information in today’s world. Information literacy therefore, is increasingly important in the contemporary environment of rapid technological change and in proliferating information resources. It enables learners to master the content and extend their investigations, to become more self-directed and assume greater control over their own learning. With the advances in Information and Communication technologies, the traditional concepts of organization, user orientation, bibliographic description and dissemination of information are to be fine-tuned to the new environment by the Public Library and the librarian.