Download PDF of Core Competencies

The Core Competencies

To further the goal of developing information literacy in WMU students, WMU Libraries has developed a set of information literacy core competencies.  They are a guide for faculty, staff, and students at WMU seeking to integrate information literacy into the university curriculum., and a tool to encourage and facilitate conversation.

Using the Core Competencies

Faculty could use the core competencies to:

• Develop curricula at the department or course level
• Facilitate assignment creation
• Coordinate syllabi within a department
• Provide a framework for faculty workshops and training
• Write learning outcomes for student assessment
• Make information literacy more transparent

The Information Literacy Committee at the University Libraries of Western Michigan University compiled this set of Information Literacy Competencies based on a variety of sources.  We are especially indebted to Grand Valley State University for providing us with the framework of the document, and for allowing us to adopt parts of their program for our own.

 Primary resources

 Information Literacy Competencies Standards for Higher Education (developed by ACRL, approved by AAHE & Council of Independent Colleges):

• Information Literacy standards and curricula in the disciplines (compiled by ACRL-IS):
• AAC&U Information Literacy VALUE Rubric
• GVSU Information Literacy Core Competencies
• CSU Rubrics for Assessing Information Competence