Information literacy as professional legitimation: the quest for a new jurisdiction

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the emergence of information literacy (IL) by analyzing professional discourse and demonstrating that there is much evidence to support Foster's claim that regardless of what else IL might achieve, it was in part a professional response and an attempt to rearticulate and legitimate librarians' claim to an educational jurisdiction at a time their traditional access‐oriented jurisdiction was threatened.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs document analysis and critical analysis.

Findings

The paper finds that IL is, in part, the result of librarians' need to protect their professional territory from the systemic disturbances caused by information technology, fiscal challenges and the educational reform movement.

Research limitations/implications

The paper should be of interest to researchers involved in the field of IL.

Practical implications

The paper discusses the place of IL in the field of modern librarianship, and as such should be wide interest in various sectors of librarianship.

Originality/value

The results of this study offer a critical analysis of the development of IL in the field of librarianship, and as such deals with an important issue facing librarians in the twenty‐first century.

Citation

O'Connor, L. (2009), "Information literacy as professional legitimation: the quest for a new jurisdiction", Library Review, Vol. 58 No. 7, pp. 493-508. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530910978190