The significance of information literacy skills for third-year Library and Information Science students at the University of the Western Cape

Abstract

This study investigated the significance of information literacy skills for undergraduate students in their third year at the University of the Western Cape in the Library and Information Science department. The study explored how the previously learned information literacy skills had assisted the students with searching and locating information needed for their academic work. This study used the sixth frame of the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, which is ‘Searching as Strategic Exploration’, as a theoretical framework. The literature review was used to determine the findings of previous studies based on the same topic and to explore gaps that need to be identified and filled accordingly. The literature review focused on undergraduates’ information skills, information searching strategies students create and use to find information, and information formats preferred by undergraduates. A sequential explanatory strategy mixed methods approach was the research design for this study, and a Google Forms online questionnaire and follow-up face-to-face interviews were used as data collection instruments. A total of sixteen undergraduate Library and Information Science students responded to the online questionnaire, and seven students agreed to participate in follow up interviews and they were interviewed face-to-face, based on the interview guide. The findings of the study revealed that students possess a strong foundation in digital literacy, with the majority demonstrating competence in using computers, databases, and search engines. However, a key weakness was evident in the limited use of the Online Public Access Catalogue, which remains an essential resource for Library and Information Science students. The study also found that students have generally mastered core information literacy skills such as identifying relevant sources, using retrieval systems, and extracting useful information. Despite these strengths, gaps persist in higher-order skills, particularly in evaluating reliability, synthesising information, and applying advanced search strategies.