The Raymond F. Damato Library at Connecticut State Community College Manchester plays a vital role in teaching and learning on campus, supporting the College’s mission to foster student success by offering an academically rigorous and innovative Information Literacy Program.
Information literacy is a set of integrated knowledge practices and dispositions “encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in learning communities” (ACRL, 2016).
Our Information Literacy Program is guided by the Association for College and Research Libraries (ARCL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, which outlines six interconnected core concepts:
Authority is Constructed and Contextual
Information Creation as a Process
Information has Value
Research as Inquiry
Scholarship as Conversation
Searching as Strategic Exploration
We work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and other campus partners to integrate information literacy into the curriculum and co-curricular activities. Our learner-centered approach to instruction emphasizes active learning, critical thinking and metacognition, problem solving, and reflection within the context of course content and other learning experiences that may extend beyond the classroom.
Our Information Literacy Program reflects the library’s broader commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We employ inclusive pedagogies and culturally responsive teaching practices to ensure all students feel welcomed and supported in their learning journey.
In alignment with the CSCU Library Consortium Strategic Framework, our Library Information Literacy Program aims to break down barriers to student success by equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complex, and increasingly digital, information landscape.
We work to:
Develop critical thinkers and lifelong learners who can evaluate and use information ethically and effectively in academic, professional, and personal contexts.
Prepare students for successful transfer to four-year institutions and entry into the workforce by fostering essential critical information literacy skills.
Foster student success by cultivating the ability to find, evaluate, and use information ethically and effectively while also nurturing intellectual curiosity and empowering students to become confident researchers.
Support the development of metacognitive skills, enabling students to reflect on their own learning processes and information-seeking behaviors.
Collaborate with faculty and other campus partners to integrate information literacy across the curriculum, aligning with institutional learning outcomes and program goals.
Through participation in our library instruction program, students will be able to:
Critically evaluate information sources, recognizing authority, credibility, and bias in various contexts.
Effectively define information needs, and search for, access, evaluate, and ethically use information resources across various discovery tools, and formats.
Understand the social, economic, and legal aspects of information creation, dissemination, and use.
Engage in the research process as an iterative, inquiry-based endeavor that generates new questions and discoveries.
Participate in scholarly conversations, engaging diverse perspectives and recognizing the importance of their own voices in knowledge production.
Apply information literacy skills to real-world situations, supporting their academic pursuits, career development, and lifelong learning.
Contribute responsibly to the information ecosystem as both consumers and creators of information.
Faculty are invited to schedule a library instruction workshop for their students to help them develop their research and critical thinking skills and learn about the resources the library provides in support of their academic success. For traditional, hybrid, and synchronous online classes, choose from a variety of library instruction menu options that can be customized to fit the specific needs of your students or partner with a librarian to design your own.
We also offer interactive self-paced tutorials on different topics, such as using the library catalog and choosing a research topic that can be added to Blackboard. For more information, visit the "Learning Modules” page of this guide.