Consumers or Readers?: Exploring the Language of Information “Use”

Abstract

In the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education,1 information
is consumed, evaluated, synthesized, and created. Students question, reflect, articulate,
and seek. But nowhere are they named as “readers,” nor is “reading” specifically used to
describe information literacy skills or abilities. While others have noted this absence,2
it’s not hard to interpret many of the Framework’s knowledge practices as encompassing
or referring to different types of reading. In this article, I would like to examine reading
practices supported by the Framework and discuss benefits of recognizing reading more
formally within discussions of information literacy teaching and learning