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Information Literacy Guide for Faculty

This guide is designed to help you learn about information literacy (IL) instruction services offered by NWACC Library

Overview of the ACRL Framework

The Association of College & Research Libraries’ (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education defines six interrelated concepts that help students locate, evaluate, and use information effectively.

The six frames

  • Authority Is Constructed and Contextual — Authority depends on community and purpose; students practice informed skepticism.
  • Information Creation as a Process — Information is produced and shared in different formats for different purposes.
  • Information Has Value — Information carries economic, legal, and social value.
  • Research as Inquiry — Research is iterative and question-driven.
  • Scholarship as Conversation — Ideas develop over time through ongoing dialogue.
  • Searching as Strategic Exploration — Effective searching blends strategy, inquiry, and experimentation.

Read the source: ACRL’s Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (PDF) or watch this short video.

Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education by OSU Libraries

How We Use the Framework at NWACC

We use the Framework to make information literacy visible and doable for your students. Our approach emphasizes alignment to your course, scaffolded practice, and flexible delivery.

  • Align to your assignment. We map frames to your learning outcomes (e.g., topic refinement → evaluating evidence → citing ethically).
  • Scaffold across time. Try a two-touch model (early overview + later workshop) or multi-step support through the semester.
  • Choose your modality. In-person visits, an Embedded/Class Librarian in Canvas, or ready-to-go Digital Learning Objects.
  • Focus on transfer. Activities emphasize strategies students can reuse in later courses and outside academia.
  • Accessibility by design. Captioned media, readable layouts, and multiple ways to demonstrate learning.

Want to see examples or get a quick consult? Email the NWACC Library instruction team.