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Benchmarking strategic engagement with information literacy in higher education: towards a working model

Introduction. Information literacy is a key issue for organizations in the information society. This study investigated strategic engagement with this concept in higher education and explored the development of indicators to evaluate an institution's level of engagement. Method. A survey of UK universities (n=114) was conducted to identify evidence of strategic commitment to information literacy. Data collection was limited to documents in the public domain accessible from institutional Websites, which were searched and browsed systematically. Analysis. Qualitative content analysis was carried out on the data, which related to seventy-five institutions. Data were coded, categorised and further interpreted, using matrix analysis techniques to identify and record comments on common themes and contrasting features. Results. The survey found information literacy was well represented in institutional strategies for information, student skills, and learning and teaching, but less evident in graduate attributes and research strategy documents. There were striking differences in the levels of engagement and the quality of strategy statements. The findings were used to define indicators of commitment and to develop an evaluation framework comprising a matrix tool and visual model. Conclusion. UK universities are engaging with information literacy at a strategic level, but performance is uneven across the sector and within institutions. The results reflect domains of engagement discussed in the literature, but also identify other areas of activity and opportunities for strategic development aligned to current interest in human resources and knowledge transfer. Further research is needed to develop, test and refine the proposed evaluation framework. © the author, 2007.