Information Literacy Models

There are many information literacy models that have been developed over the years. Some have stood the test of time and others have been replaced or updated as digital technologies and the associated skills to master them have become interwoven into these frameworks.
​Many schools are directed to follow a particular model (e.g. guided inquiry) while others are left to source / create their own. For those who have to generate a framework of their own the following models may be helpful. Wherever possible the chosen framework should be linked to the relevant curriculum documents - see A new curriculum for information literacy below.
CILIP Information Literacy model
CILIP have developed an information literacy model that contains eight competencies / understandings that a person requires to be information literate:
  • a need for information
  • the resources available
  • how to find information
  • need to evaluate results
  • how to work with or exploit results
  • ethics and responsibility of use
  • how to communicate or share your finding
  • how to manage your findings.
National Information Literacy Framework (Wales)
​Welsh Libraries have developed an Information Literacy Framework for Wales. The framework maps learning and skills from Entry Level 1 up to Doctoral level, and links to the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales.
The Welsh Information Literacy Project website includes case studies and an overview of how IL relates to activities in schools, workplaces, academic libraries, etc.
Mapping Information Literacy Skills to the Curriculum 
A number of frameworks are now identifying the importance of linking the skills and competencies they espouse to a relevant curriculum framework.
The following document from ANCIL provides strategies for using the curriculum to map information literacy skills.
SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy
​The Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) developed the Seven Pillars of Information Literacy model in 1999, and the most recent version was published in 2011. The latest version recognises that becoming information literate “is not a linear process”, rather, individuals can take different paths to become information literate and may learn different skills at different points.
  • Identify
  • Scope
  • Plan
  • Gather
  • Evaluate
  • Manage
  • Present
​Other models
​The following are other prominent models and frameworks you may wish to explore: