INFORMATION LITERACY MEETING OF EXPERTS 

Prague, the Czech Republic 

September 20-23, 2003 

Report of a meeting 

sponsored by the US National Commission on Libraries and Information 

Science (NCLIS) and the National Forum on Information Literacy (NFIL) 

with the support of the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural 

Organization (UNESCO) 

Written by Spenser Thompson, MLIS 

Edited by Jill Cody, MPA 

Submitted by Cody Associates pursuant to Purchase Order No. 

 ED-03-PO-2459 issued by the 

United States Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

December 2003 
Table of Contents 

THE PRAGUE DECLARATION .......................... 1 

A. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................... 3 

B. PROCEEDINGS OF MEETING 7 

1. Introduction 

Meeting Format and Logistics .......................... 

7 

2. Welcome Remarks 

Organizers and Invited Guest Speakers .......................... 

7 

3. Panel Discussion: National Case Studies 

Final recommendations .......................... 

8 

4. Panel Discussion: Starting with People, Cultures and Health 

Strategic recommendations 

Action and Research Agendas 

.......................... 

11 

5. Panel Discussion: Education and Learning 

What information seeking behaviors can be taught and affirmed? 

What about learning influences information literacy education? 

What conditions are most conducive to learners and teachers as they 

develop information literacy? 

What happens when we add “digital” to information literacy? 

Policy recommendations 

Action Agenda 

Research Agenda 

.......................... 

13 

6. Panel Discussion: Economic Development 

The relationship between economic development and information literacy 

Information literacy skills development strategies 

Evidence of relationship between information literacy and economic 

development 

The Barriers 

Policy recommendations: National and international 

Action Agenda 

Research Agenda 

.......................... 

17 

7. Panel Discussion: Policy and Information Literacy 

Barriers to policy changes 

Effecting change 

Preliminary conclusion: Policy principles 

Final recommendations: Policy principles 

Final recommendations: Policy actions 

Action and Research Agendas 

................... 

20 

C. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

Authors, Participants, Sponsors, Organizers, Hosts, Special Contributors ................... 

23 

D. APPENDICES 

1. Summary List of Research Recommendations (all panels) 

2. Remarks by Shigeru Aoyagi, UNESCO 

3. Remarks by Joan Challinor, NCLIS 

4. List of Meeting Participants and Paper Authors 

5. Programme-at-a-glance 

6. Webography of Selected NCLIS Website Information Resources 

................... 

24 

26 

28 

31 

35 

37 

39 
THE PRAGUE DECLARATION 

"TOWARDS AN INFORMATION LITERATE SOCIETY" 

We the participants at the Information Literacy Meeting of Experts, organized by the US 

National Commission on Library and Information Science and the National Forum on 

Information Literacy, with the support of UNESCO, representing 23 countries from all 

of the seven major continents, held in Prague, the Czech Republic, September 20—23, 

2003, propose the following basic Information Literacy principles: 

• The creation of an Information Society is key to social, cultural and economic 

development of nations and communities, institutions and individuals in the 21st 

century and beyond. 

• Information Literacy encompasses knowledge of one’s information concerns 

and needs, and the ability to identify, locate, evaluate, organize and effectively 

create, use and communicate information to address issues or problems at hand; 

it is a prerequisite for participating effectively in the Information Society, and is 

part of the basic human right of life long learning. 

• Information Literacy, in conjunction with access to essential information and 

effective use of information and communication technologies, plays a leading 

role in reducing the inequities within and among countries and peoples, and in 

promoting tolerance and mutual understanding through information use in 

multicultural and multilingual contexts. 

• Governments should develop strong interdisciplinary programs to promote 

Information Literacy nationwide as a necessary step in closing the digital divide 

through the creation of an information literate citizenry, an effective Civil Society 

and a competitive workforce. 

• Information Literacy is a concern to all sectors of society and should be tailored 

by each to its specific needs and context. 

• Information Literacy should be an integral part of Education for All, which can 

contribute critically to the achievement of the United Nations Millennium 

Development Goals, and respect for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

In the above context, we propose for the urgent consideration of governments, Civil 

Society and the international community the following policy recommendations: 

1 
• The September 2003 Prague Meeting Report should be studied and its 

recommendations, strategic plans and research initiatives implemented 

expeditiously as appropriate (the report will be disseminated in December 2003). 

• The progress in, and opportunities for implementation of the above should be 

assessed by an International Congress on Information Literacy, which could be 

organized in the first half of 2005. 

• The possibility of inclusion of Information Literacy within the United Nations 

Literacy Decade (2003—2012) should be considered by the international 

community. 

Footnote: This document was drafted by the participants during the Prague meeting.

2
Prefatory Note: This report is subdivided into four major sections. The first section 

is an Executive Summary which highlights the major findings and recommendations 

made by the meeting participants. This section is followed by a longer Proceedings 

of Meeting section which contains the details of the discussions of the various 

sessions, both plenary and working group (panels). The third section is an 

Acknowledgements section. An Appendix section then follows, including several key 

speeches made by distinguished invitees, a list of meeting participants and paper 

authors, the program agenda for the meeting, and a Webography containing selected 

NCLIS website citations that are directly relevant to the meeting's planning, 

implementation, and follow-up. 

A EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The meeting of experts succeeded in its goals of defining the information literacy 

concept, identifying its role in transforming communities worldwide, and creating 

plans of action. All agreed that the work of information literacy “champions” is just 

beginning a new and exciting phase, in which the concept will become more widely 

accepted as a cornerstone of education and the Information Society. Working groups 

(sometimes referred to in this report as "panels" and sometimes as "groups") on 

fundamental, major information literacy issue clusters defined information literacy as 

“the ability to identify, locate, evaluate, organize and effectively use information to 

address issues or problems at hand that face individuals, communities, and nations.” 

In his opening remarks, UNESCO’s Shigeru Aoyagi noted parallels between UNESCO’s 

goals of information access, literacy, and education for all. Building upon papers 

commissioned for the meeting, five subject-focused groups then presented their 

positions on key issues and identified research and policy strategies for bringing the 

benefits of information literacy to the world:1

1. National Case Studies

Four continents were represented in this group. The experts addressed the status of 

information access and information literacy in their respective nations. Fundamental 

inequities in literacy rates, education access, and Internet connectivity were 

acknowledged as a worldwide problem. However, such nations, often called 

“developing,” are making progress in terms of penetration of information technology 

and education. Some nations, like Canada, are beginning to see acknowledgement of 

not only digital, but information literacy among their citizens. It is also true that the 

digital divide persists in more wealthy nations such as the United States. Other 

countries like South Africa, Egypt, and Chile are beginning to see community 

information centers that provide Internet access, but are not equipped with a 

 

1

 Individual papers can be accessed at: http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/papers/papers.html

3
mechanism to teach information literacy to the people. The desire for information 

utilization, and all it entails—economic, cultural, and political participation—is a 

common denominator. Information literacy has to be embedded into developing 

countries’ existing agendas for improving technology and education. A social activism 

model, which speaks the language of government and carries emotional impact, is the 

best way for government to recognize the value of information literacy. 

2. Starting with People, Cultures, and Health

Experts in this group chose to frame information literacy not as an individual skill, but 

as a powerful community tool that facilitates access to information and has real impact 

on its health, wealth, and well-being. In this context, they presented information literacy 

as a human rights issue. Information literacy efforts will work best if they are applied at 

the existing community unit level where needs are best identified—rather than imposed 

by higher level government agendas that can be out-of-touch. Lobbying government 

can be most effective when information literacy “champions” communicate the specific 

stories of the benefits of information literacy. Furthermore, non-governmental 

organizations (the "Civil Society" as this sector is now collectively coming to be called) 

participation and government knowledge of these efforts are key. Health information is 

a unique axis for information literacy, as illnesses are often a powerful motivation for 

families to become information literate. In addition, medical education and related 

professional competencies hinge on “evidence-based learning” and the ability to access 

health literature that rapidly changes and proliferates. The group recommended 

building partnerships beyond the library profession, continuing and bettering 

quantitative research on information literacy, finding new sources of funding, and 

linking existing efforts and infrastructure to leverage information literacy. 

3. Education and Learning

These experts explored the intersection between information learning on the one hand, 

and education and learning on the other hand. UNESCO’s Shigeru Aoyagi stated that 

information literacy is “formed” by the activities of motivated learners. The experts 

agreed that information literacy works as an iterative, contextual learning opportunity, 

as well as a model for education itself that teaches peoples how to be independent, 

critical and active learners. This process of "learning in context" works effectively when 

learners are “acculturated” into professional and educational activities that require 

information literate practices. Lifelong learning and basic literacy training are good 

entry points into information literacy, as they have commonalities with information 

literacy and do not require computer hardware. Information literacy skills are 

particularly crucial in the Web environment, where authority of information can be 

difficult to determine, and where many sources that are neither comprehensive nor 

indexed. Educators must know the context and information needs of communities in 

order for instruction to be effective. Recommendations included promoting learner4
centered education, and placing information literacy at the cornerstone of the human 

right to education. Means to this end include creating national standards (in various 

stages of completion worldwide) and finding partners in government and education to 

join the cause. Although the group pointed to the solid research already done on the 

subject, further research should include studying information literacy outcomes at 

school, work, and in communities. 

4. Economic Development

The experts agreed that information literacy is a fundamental skill in the workplace that 

produces positive outcomes for small and large businesses alike. Information literacy is 

the mechanism by which knowledge is managed and exploited by businesses. 

Especially in the small business context, information literate organizations have the 

opportunity to access information that will help them meet key objectives, especially 

with the proliferation of the Internet. Since research shows that many people worldwide 

are not prepared for the 21st century workplace, information literacy is a fundamental 

competency in a world where change and exponentially expanding digital information 

is the norm. Countries that are just beginning to compete on the global stage must have 

information literate citizens. From the standpoint of citizens, information literacy can be 

the means to break down barriers to full participation in government and the national 

economy. The experts recommended that information literacy be injected into business 

culture and job training by the articulation of its benefits. Research that focuses on 

outcomes, perhaps with economists, is needed to accomplish these aims. 

5. Policy and Information Literacy

The panel acknowledged that policy formation must be sensitive to national differences 

but has significant goals in common. Results in policy can be achieved by working 

through the community and legal levels. Information literacy change agents can 

address policy by emphasizing the following benefits and values: 

-Information is a strategic resource that cannot be fully exploited without an 

information literate citizenry. 

-Every person has a fundamental right to information literacy and the information 

access that underlies it. 

-Public information that is actively disseminated is conducive to an information literate 

nation. 

-Information literacy is the key competency for the Information Age. 

-Information literacy is as valuable as more widely accepted concepts such as computer 

literacy and media literacy. 

Barriers to policy changes have been the tendency toward short-term, 

compartmentalized projects. Action steps, therefore, should include: tailoring policy to 

5
local environments; taking a holistic approach to policy that involves players from all 

sectors; marrying information literacy to basic literacy and information technology 

efforts that are already widely accepted, such as the United Nation’s Literacy Decade. 

6. The Prague Declaration: 

The meeting culminated with the spontaneous creation of “The Prague Declaration: 

Towards An Information Literate Society” (which is the very first lead-in document to this 

report), in which the information literacy experts proposed six basic, overarching 

information literacy principles and presented three major policy recommendations to 

government, and to civil and nonprofit organizations. In it, information literacy is 

envisioned as a key to full participation in the 21st century for communities and 

nations, and as an excellent counterpart to the United Nations Millennium 

Development goals. 

6
B. PROCEEDINGS OF MEETING

1. INTRODUCTION

Forty participants from 23 different countries, representing all of the major geographic 

regions of the world, met in Prague, the Czech Republic, from September 20-23, 2003, to 

chart a worldwide plan of action for creating an information literate society. 

With the support of The United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural 

Organization (UNESCO), and organized by the US National Commission on Libraries 

and Information Science (NCLIS) and the National Forum on Information Literacy 

(NFIL), participants wrestled with the fundamental challenge of how to empower 

populations around the globe to benefit from digital and non-digital information and 

communication resources and technologies. 

The participants agreed that the meeting was a great success in its goals of defining the 

information literacy concept, identifying its role in helping to transform communities 

worldwide, and creating plans of action. All agreed that the work of information 

literacy "champions" is just beginning a new and exciting phase, in which the concept 

will become more widely accepted as a cornerstone of education and the Information 

Society. 

Additional background details relating to the meeting may be found in Appendix 6. 

1.1. Format and activities

Prior to and throughout the meeting participants engaged in a frank exchange of 

papers, ideas, and strategies. This was a working meeting in which experts were 

organized into moderated discussion (or "focus") groups to tackle five major themes. At 

the conclusion of each session, the presenting group offered draft findings and 

recommendations, which were then more thoughtfully refined by all participants on the 

last day of the meeting. For convenience, the finalized recommendations are listed 

below as the last section of each panel discussion section to which they were relevant. It 

was nearly impossible to capture the full richness of the discussions each panel held 

and for that we apologize. Finally, the experts created “The Prague Declaration: Toward 

an Information Literate Society”2 which sums up the key fundamental issues and 

recommendations from the meeting as a whole, and appears as the lead-in document to 

this report. 

2. WELCOME REMARKS

 

2

 Available at: http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/post-infolitconf&meet/PragueDeclaration.pdf 

7
The meeting began with opening remarks by representatives of the three sponsoring 

organization partners: Patricia Senn Breivik on behalf of the National Forum on 

Information Literacy, Shigeru Aoyagi on behalf of UNESCO, and Joan Challinor on 

behalf of the US National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. Czech 

Deputy Minister for Informatics Dana Berova was scheduled to provide the host 

country welcoming remarks but, unfortunately, because of a last minute health 

problem, was unable to attend. Official Czech greetings were later conveyed to the 

participants by Mrs. Viktorie Spidlova, wife of the Czech Prime Minister. 

Dr. Breivik spoke of the importance of information literacy to the successful functioning 

of individuals and communities worldwide, and presented “E-literacy,” a video3

produced by the Pacific Bell/UCLA partnership for information literacy. Reflecting on 

the commissioned papers, Dr. Breivik suggested that the definition put forward by the 

ALA Presidential Committee on Information Literacy in 1989 appears to be generally 

accepted. That definition states: “An information literate person is one who has the 

abilities to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, 

evaluate, and use effectively the needed information." 

Mr. Aoyagi outlined UNESCO’s long-term commitment to education and information 

literacy related worldwide initiatives: “UNESCO carries out various programs related 

to information literacy in different sectors." Our priority," he stated, "has long been the 

goal of achieving education for all.” He emphasized one of UNESCO’s goals as, 

“promoting the empowerment and participation of emerging knowledge societies 

through equitable access, capacity building, and sharing of knowledge.” Mr. Aoyagi 

cautioned the meeting participants to remember the "information have-nots," those to 

whom basic literacy and access to computers is still a dream (full set of remarks in 

Appendix 2). 

Dr. Joan Challinor emphasized the importance of the first international meeting of 

experts on the subject and the power of those present to bring the concept to the 

forefront of education and governments around the world (full set of remarks in 

Appendix 3). 

Following these opening remarks, the first round of the meeting’s discussion groups 

was convened. Each group had a moderator and over the course of the meeting, 

recommendations developed out of the focused discussions, refined, and then accepted 

by all participants (see below). 

3. PANEL DISCUSSION: NATIONAL CASE STUDIES

 

3

 The video can be viewed at: http://media2.gseis.ucla.edu/e-literate.mov

8
Patricia Senn Breivik, United States of America (Moderator) 

Soledad Ferreiro, Chile 

Feiching Ma, China* 

Catherine Quinlan, Canada* 

Shawky Salem, Egypt 

Peter Underwood, Republic of South Africa 

Martha Whitehead, Canada 

Abdul Zia, Afghanistan* 

* Indicates the expert contributed a paper but was not able to be present at the meeting. 

While several participants from this group were from what are sometimes known as 

“developing nations,” Soledad Ferreiro reminded the audience that not all “developing 

countries” can be painted with the same brush or seen as equal to each other. In such 

contexts where the Internet has not penetrated as far as other countries, information 

literacy is still crucial and can mean accessing print, oral, community, or indigenous 

knowledge. 

Ms. Ferreiro continued by saying that Chile now has a government official known as 

the Chief Information Officer as well as significant penetration of cell phones—which 

outnumber hard-wired phones in her nation. It is encouraging that information literacy 

is spreading under different names in Chile, including an initiative which identifies 

communities in need and then brings digital resources to them as a second step. The 

representatives for Slovenia, Latvia, and Nepal discussed how community information 

centers were just getting off the ground in their nations and that information literacy 

must be a part of this movement. 

Caroline Stern stated that information literacy matters, and can be taught, without 

technology. In places such as rural South America for example, students can learn and 

practice how to find and manage information in intelligent ways, even if they do not 

have access to digital technologies. Information literacy, said Dr. Stern, is simply a 

strategy for knowledge building, communication, and problem solving that empowers 

people. 

Experts in other “developing” areas of the world gave insights into the emergent 

emphasis on the power of information as a key national and regional priority. Aija 

Janbicka said that there are already formalized Information Society policies in Europe. 

Latvia’s E-Latvia program, along with the European Union, has made developing the 

Information Society a key priority, which creates an opportunity for information 

literacy advocacy. Kay Raseroka mentioned The New Partnership for Africa's 

Development (NEPAD) objectives of eradication of poverty; investing in health, 

education, and security, and bridging the digital divide. Information literacy, she said, 

can be a tool to achieving most of these goals. 

9
Martha Whitehead of Canada discussed her country’s significant investment in national 

initiatives dealing with digital information access and was heartened by the 

government’s recent emphasis on skills and learning for the knowledge economy in 

addition to technical infrastructure. 

Shawky Salem discussed the situation in Egypt. An impressive "new" (actually a 

modern reincarnation of the ancient library of Alexandria) library has recently opened 

in Alexandria, while at the same time basic literacy and education is a fundamental 

concern. Mr. Salem said that there needs to be the creation of “smart villages” in Egypt, 

that are connected to information but most importantly have people (i.e., information 

intermediaries) with information literacy skills which can facilitate people getting to the 

information they need. Those who are connected to the Internet in Egypt are far too 

often still using it for “chat sessions” rather than for true utilization of the educational 

and economic benefits that the Web can bring to information literate communities. At 

this stage, privatization is helping matters in Egypt, but education reform is needed to 

create a society that can truly utilize Internet connectivity. 

Peter Underwood discussed information literacy in terms of the enormous social 

changes that have taken place in South Africa since its first democratic election in 1994. 

People in his country are “panting for information” and information literacy can be the 

catalyst for using such information for the creation and maintenance of a democratic 

society there. Currently, however, the government’s concept if “information 

management” does not adequately address people’s information literacy needs. 

The panel then discussed plans to introduce information literacy standards to groups 

beyond the library community. Ms. Ferreiro pointed out that her country’s library 

community is working toward creating information literacy standards and is in the 

process of bringing the concepts to their library and government higher-ups. She also 

noted that a something akin to the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) would be a 

good thing for information literacy efforts worldwide. 

The panel recognized the contribution of China’s Feicheng Ma, who, in his paper, 

described the government’s embrace of information literacy as the final progression of 

efforts to create basic literacy in China, which began in the 1950s. It was noted that 

China appears to be the first nation to require information literacy skills for all students 

at the higher education level by implementing a plan in 1984 through literature retrieval 

courses. Similarly, Finland’s Mirja Ryynanen discussed the enlightened attitude of her 

government to information literacy. As a former member of Finland’s parliament, she 

offered the following advice: Learn the language that politicians speak and let your 

communications convey the emotional impact of the subject matter. At this point Robert 

Wedgeworth added that anecdotal stories of specific individuals whose lives are 

touched by information literacy can be quite persuasive. 

10
The panel agreed that a social activism model of spreading information literacy to the 

governmental, community, and educational spheres would be effective to bring it into 

the popular consciousness. They also agreed that Michel Menou’s concept of “public 

information as a public good” was a good way of communicating the benefits of 

information literacy. 

It was also agreed that information technology is driving the economy, and that 

information literacy needed to be imbedded into these developments. For example, 

Chile’s País Digital and Canada’s Innovation Strategy need a vital information literacy 

component to be fully effective. 

3.1. Final Recommendations: National Case Studies Group

These experts focused on the need for active information literacy advocates around the 

globe. Such information literacy champions must: 

-Focus on the relationship between information literacy and business, and look for 

partnerships in this arena. 

-Use stories with emotional impact in order to be persuasive. 

-Cultivate other champions beyond the library profession. 

The group also stressed that information literacy education must occur during the 

school years for people to take full advantage of its benefits as adults. 

4. PANEL DISCUSSION: STARTING WITH PEOPLE, CULTURES AND HEALTH

Jose-Marie Griffiths, United States of America (Moderator) 

Amelia Caldwell, United States of America 

Ana Maria Correia, Portugal 

Sharon Grant, Canada 

Barbie Keiser, United States of America 

Gloria Ponjuan, Cuba* 

Melinda Quintos de Jesus, The Phillipines 

Nirmala Shrestha, Nepal 

Robert Wedgeworth, United States of America 

The group stated their preference for a definition of information literacy in the context 

of people in need, and in terms of “information literate communities” rather than 

individuals. Robert Wedgeworth illustrated the community-level understanding of 

information literacy by pointing out that youth literacy cannot be achieved 50% of the 

time without parental involvement and help. Nirmala Shrestha described the 

excitement in her country around the creation of village information centers, a part of 

11
Nepal’s recent decentralization policies that have given its 75 districts more autonomy. 

Melinda Quintos de Jesus added that the starting point should be to find out what the 

basic unit of a community is in each country, and then address its information literacy 

needs. She also commented that, “information literacy is a human rights issue.” 

The group also discussed the unique relationship between health information and 

information literacy, because a health problem is often a pressing human need that 

drives people to become more information literate. This is necessary in order to cope 

effectively with the explosion of health information of the last decade. Sharon Grant 

added that “evidence-based medicine,” combined with a more informed and proactive 

patient community, is also driving an increased need for information literacy among 

health care clinicians. 

Expounding on the group’s theme, Robert Wedgeworth emphasized the disconnect 

between what the government thinks people need versus what people think they need, 

which is to say: economic development, health care access, how their children can be 

successful in school, and how to live in peace. For adult education or government 

intervention to be successful, the audience’s needs must be known before either 

information technology or information literacy training can be introduced. Mr. 

Wedgeworth continued that nongovernmental organization (NGO) support is crucial in 

developing nations where government support may be lacking, but that notifying 

governments of such efforts is also important in order to publicize and reinforce their 

presence. He reminded the group that all social problems have an information literacy 

component, and that it can be seen as a “triage” area for social servants helping 

populations with multiple problems. 

Finally, the group discussed action steps and priorities, including ways of 

communicating with policy makers. Mr. Wedgeworth emphasized that policy makers 

need to hear from information literacy champions that there are concrete information 

literacy scenarios and stories which have emotional impact and which are populated 

with the benefactors or victims of information literacy abundance or deprivation, 

respectively. 

Amelia Caldwell added that the arts and entertainment community are another 

audience for such stories, and that quantitative research into the outcomes and 

processes of information literacy acquisition are needed to bolster the arguments of 

information literacy champions. Mr. Wedgeworth commented that we have a set of 

information literacy outcome “indicators” that are already in the literature that can be 

used in the interim. 

The moderator’s summarizing remarks included the following themes: 

12
-Information literacy is not a complicated idea but it is variously applied in different 

fields. 

-Information literacy is a beginning, not an end in itself but a means to empowerment 

and knowledge. 

-Engage in conversation about information literacy that has meaning to the lives of 

audiences. 

-Inclusion and collaboration are crucial to spread the message. 

-Create supportive environments for learners, or the skills will not be retained. 

-Measure the outcomes and impacts of the process. 

-Empower people and be proactive. 

-To create a climate and culture of knowing is the goal of implementing information 

literacy. 

4.1. Strategic recommendations

Each country should:

-Establish a national information literacy plan. 

-Establish a national focal point for information literacy. 

-Increase awareness of the essential role of information literacy in information and 

communication societies, especially among priority populations defined 

demographically by rural/urban, male/female, etc. 

-Engage new stakeholders in information literacy advocacy and action: mass media, 

social activists, the private sector, elected officials, and public health. 

-Encourage and fund community planning for information literacy using existing 

structures where possible. 

-Create participatory process for the ongoing development of information literacy 

standards. 

-Review community information literacy plans to identify barriers and infrastructure 

needs. 

-Invest in needed infrastructure. 

-Adjust national plan, existing policies and legislation as necessary to facilitate inclusion 

of the community in information literacy plans. 

4.2. Research actions

-Establish interdisciplinary research council. 

-Identify existing relevant research. 

-Create database of research studies, results, and best practices. 

-Develop and fund interdisciplinary research agenda. Include both qualitative and 

quantitative research. 

5. PANEL DISCUSSION: EDUCATION AND LEARNING

13
Barbara Cambridge, United States of America, Moderator 

Christine Bruce, Australia 

Philip Candy, Australia/United Kingdom 

Sally Johnstone, United States of America 

Penny Moore, New Zealand* 

Hannelore Rader, United States of America 

Elsa Ramirez, Mexico* 

Caroline Stern, United States of America 

The group addressed five fundamental questions about information literacy from which 

to develop a list of recommendations. 

5.1. What information seeking behaviors can be taught and affirmed?

UNESCO’s Shigeru Aoyagi offered that information literacy skills are “formed” 

through active rather than passive learning, based on the learner’s motivation to 

improve his or her quality of life. Information literacy cannot be taught by “the osmosis 

technique” but must be “indoctrinated into good information seeking behavior.” 

Hannelore Rader described the necessity that information intermediaries are necessary 

to assist people in developing information literacy skills. Students need to be interested 

in seeking information, become “relentless” in the search for information, and become 

critical about information sources. Even high performing students are often behind in 

information literacy skills and need help. 

Christine Bruce interjected that research is needed to complement literature on the 

individual learner, to focus on learning communities and groups. Phil Candy suggested 

that books like the Social Life of Information and the notion of indoctrination into 

communities of professional practice are most relevant to information literacy: “The 

success of universities or other educational institutions is the way in which they subtly 

and often tacitly induct students into the information literacy practices of that 

profession such as law and medicine... Information literacy is one of the markers of a 

successful educational intervention.” Bob Wedgeworth agreed that “acculturation” is a 

good way to conceive of information literacy education. The idea of a professional 

culture can be broadened to include society as a whole. Barbie Keiser, speaking on the 

behalf of Gloria Ponjuan and herself, described a need for an “information culture” that 

is the basis for an information literate society. The elements of such a culture include 

infrastructure, social conditions, and leadership. 

All agreed that information literacy is crucial to effective learning in the 21st century. 

5.2. What we know about learning that influences information literacy education.

14
The panel agreed that the following trends in education are conducive to information 

literacy theory development and teaching: 

-Active learning is a desirable process and outcome of education. Information literate 

people overcome “road blocks” that prevent them from finding information that will 

have an impact on their lives. 

-Using the real information needs of students is crucial—things they care about 

knowing. To increase retention and skill building, people tend to seek information and 

become more information literate. Motivation is fundamental to information literacy 

competencies. 

-Information literacy can be a part of many blueprints for learning and teaching. 

-Learning can be effective when communities and individuals teach each other. 

-Lifelong learning and information literacy have related bodies of literature that need to 

interpenetrate. Lifelong learning, long supported by UNESCO, is a good entry point 

into information literacy. 

Christine Bruce identified the need for mapping various learning models in their 

relation to information literacy. Phil Candy also suggested that it would be helpful to 

consider the inverse question: What do we know about information literacy that 

influences how we should teach? 

5.3. What concrete tangible conditions are most conducive to learners and teachers as 

they develop information literacy? Who has the power to set the conditions?

Caroline Stern offered a four-part response. Information literacy champions, she said, 

need to find a small corner to serve in which they know the population; must know 

their strengths and weaknesses; must take an instructional design approach in which 

information literacy is anchored to the known and directly demonstrate and define the 

skill set that needs to be taught. 

Caroline Stern defined an “instructional design” approach as one which focuses on 

teaching information literacy skills—replacing traditional recitation-based instruction 

that uses lecture or rote memorization to drill students on arbitrary facts. What matters 

is the quest for knowledge that matters to the lives of students. Information literacy is 

the key to conducting student-centered, active learning focused on skill building." 

Frank Thompson offered that the conditions are often native to a cultural group. For 

example, Aborigines learn virtually everything in context, so for them the school is a 

foreign condition for learning. John Rose of UNESCO added that the condition for 

learning information literacy is one in which students are “learning how to learn”—a 

concept that can be considered a definition of information literacy in itself. His 

UNESCO colleague, Shigeru Aoyagi said that information literacy “demands rethinking 

educational style” in general. 

15
5.4. What happens when we add the word “digital” to information literacy? How 

does everyone from those in an oral culture to advanced technology approach digital 

information literacy?

Sally Johnstone discussed how evaluation of sources becomes critically important in the 

Web environment. Shawky Salem added that the Web environments are mostly in 

English, which creates an access barrier to non-English speaking peoples. The 

similarities of oral and digital cultures were noted. For example, fields in the web and 

narrative structures provide frameworks for individual accounts and interpretations. 

5.5. Policy recommendations

A multilevel approach was recommended, involving international, governmental, and 

educational players. Policy recommendations and actions speak to the systemic 

approach that is needed for widespread information literacy.

-Support information literacy as an indispensable part of the human right to education, 

enabling each person to be a knowledgeable and participatory community member, 

skilled worker and critically autonomous person. 

-Ensure development and delivery of learner-centered information literacy programs. 

-Provide support for individuals and organizations to enable information literacy 

development in formal, non-formal, and informal learning throughout learners’ lives. 

-Require information literacy to be a fundamental and documented learning outcome in 

primary, secondary, and tertiary education. 

-Require and provide professional development of educators and facilitators for 

information literacy. 

5.6. Action Agenda

-Draw together existing research; identify patterns, themes, and professional practice 

indicators. 

-Identify and document best practices and outcomes for a variety of environments, 

applications, and audiences. 

-Identify potential audiences and communicate (through toolkits, resources, networks, 

and mentors/ambassadors) through various media. 

-Deliver applications to various academics, individuals, organizations, and 

communities. 

-Refer back to performance indicators [quantitative and qualitative] for individuals and 

groups. 

-Repeat, revise, and advance the agenda. 

5.7. Research Agenda

16
Investigate the character of information literacy in different kinds of environments and 

cultures: 

-Study the information literacy experiences of people and organizations in public and 

proprietary information environments. 

-Study the different information literacy experiences of people and organizations in 

rural and urban communities. 

-Study the experience of information literacy in oral-learning communities to enable 

development of digital information skills. 

-Study the experience of information literacy in digital environments. 

-Study the experience of information literacy in different professions and community 

contexts. 

6. PANEL DISCUSSION: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Dorothy Williams, United Kingdom (Moderator) 

Wilson Aiyepeku, Nigeria* 

Bonnie Cheuk, Singapore/United Kingdom 

Lana Jackman, United States of America 

Camile McMahon, Australia* 

Zdravka Pejova, Slovenia 

Victor Rosenberg, United States of America 

Frank Thompson, Australia 

This panel considered four key themes, considering the value of information literacy in 

the workplace and for economic development in communities worldwide. 

6.1. The relationship between economic development and information literacy

Bonnie Cheuk discussed the link between information literacy and the notion of 

knowledge management in business. Information literacy is the means by which 

employees and companies can actually benefit from technology and an organization’s 

knowledge base. 

Victor Rosenberg pointed out the motivation for business is “the bottom line,” and that 

information literacy must (and can) demonstrate that it is a good return on investment 

for companies. For small businesses especially, information literate workers can help 

their companies compete with larger corporations and on a global scale, by taking 

advantage of the information explosion of the last decade. For example, the ability to 

find the right materials at the right cost and setting prices are crucial business 

objectives, which require information literacy skills. 

17
Lana Jackman stressed that information literacy does provide return on investment 

when combined with workforce development strategies. At present, many workers, 

white and blue collar alike, are not prepared for the knowledge management challenges 

of the 21st century workplace, given the exponential growth of information 

resources/ICTs and their direct impact on corporate profitability. In essence, 

information literacy training must become an essential Small and Medium Sized 

Enterprise (SMSE) strategy, disseminated throughout the entire organizational 

hierarchy if productivity and profitability are to be sustained within this highly volatile 

competitive world economy. 

Zdravka Pedrova said that the introduction of information literacy programs for the 

employees of both the public administration sector and the corporate sector is of 

essential importance for Slovenia’s and other newly joining countries in the European 

Union. Information literate societies are more capable of competing and joining with 

other nations in the joint endeavors of economic and social development. 

6.2. Information literacy skills development strategies

Frank Thompson said that communities should be the basic unit of discussion, and their 

struggle for economic and political participation. Information literacy skill building can 

help improve the cultural interface between indigenous people and their colonizers, or 

those who are oppressed or marginalized. This strategy allows people the benefit of not 

accepting what the people in power tell marginalized people. Information literacy is 

most valuable as a problem-solving tool. 

Lana Jackman offered that work development cannot be complete without information 

literacy training. 

6.3. Evidence of relationship between information literacy and economic 

development

More hard evidence is needed, but the collection of success stories is also necessary. 

Frank Thompson described how marginalized people have discovered the value of their 

goods and services, as well as channels to sell them, through good information literacy 

practices. Lana Jackman argued that evidence of improved educational results through 

information literacy can also be a case for increased workplace performance. Victor 

Rosenberg cited much anecdotal evidence that information literacy helps the efforts of 

small businesses. 

6.4. The barriers

The group offered several barriers to information literacy facilitating economic 

development. Business executives (and NGOs) do not know about the concept of 

18
information literacy as much as they should. Organizational culture needs to change to 

accept information literacy, just as it has for knowledge management. Parallel to this is 

the limited visibility of information literacy outside libraries. 

To rectify this a curriculum for workplace information literacy needs to be developed, 

and quantitative evidence for the effectiveness of information literacy skills must be 

communicated. To facilitate this, an international marketing plan through existing 

channels is necessary. 

6.5. Policy recommendations: national and international

-Recognize the strategic importance of information literacy to a competitive and 

sustainable economy. 

-Establish clear agendas on workplace competency to maximize the benefit from 

information/knowledge as a key resource and asset. 

-Provide incentives/encouragement to: (a) governments to invest in appropriate 

information literacy programs to enhance the effectiveness of the workforce, (b) 

employers invest in appropriate information literacy programs in the 

workplace/community, and (c) unions to engage in similar practices. 

-Encourage the inclusion of information literacy training as part of overseas 

development aid programs. 

-Encourage the inclusion of information literacy training as part of national economic 

development programs. 

6.6. Action Agenda

-Develop global strategic marketing plan and program that takes into account the 

interest of business and consumers, and engage communities of practice. 

-Collaborate with economists and development practitioners to assess impact of 

information literacy on economic development. 

-Incorporate information literacy in all job-training programs in public and private 

sectors. 

6.7. Research Agenda

The groups research recommendations focus largely on demonstrating the impact of 

information literacy on the “bottom line” for businesses. Research areas of interest 

should be: 

-The impact of information literacy on economic development including cost 

benefit/value analysis of information literacy programs in the workplace. 

-The relationship between information literacy and effective knowledge management. 

19
-The positive impact of information literacy in profit and nonprofit organizations. 

-Relationship between information literacy and entrepreneurship. 

-The nature of appropriate and effective teaching and learning strategies for workplace 

information literacy. 

In addition, the group called for an investigation of the state of the art of information 

literacy practice within NGOs/Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and development 

aid. 

7. PANEL DISCUSSION: POLICY AND INFORMATION LITERACY

Toni Carbo, United States of America (Moderator) 

Woody Horton, United States of America 

Aija Janbicka, Latvia 

Michel Menou, France 

Philippe Queau, France* 

Mirja Ryynanen, Finland 

The moderator, Toni Carbo, framed the discussion within the following principles: 

-Policies will vary according to international differences. 

-Change will happen at community and local, state, and federal (central/national 

government level) law. 

-Information literacy is a flexible term. 

7.1. Barriers to policy changes

Michel Menou outlined the following barriers to information literacy policy creation. 

One is the nature of past projects, which have been largely short-term and 

compartmentalized. The other is that “the search for final causes of information literacy 

benefits are fruitless” due to the complex environmental factors surrounding it. 

Zdravka Pejova offered that Slovenia has developed good information literacy 

programs for elementary schools, but lack of funding and available resources is a 

significant barrier. 

7.2. Effecting change

Mr. Menou’s solution was to take a holistic approach to policy. 

Woody Horton of NCLIS expounded upon themes that would be helpful to information 

literacy “change agents:” 

-Information has becoming a strategic resource to all nations. Information literacy is 

20
therefore fundamental to the Information Society. 

-Public domain information must be maximized for the public good. 

-Every person has “the right to be an information literate citizen.” 

-Informed citizens are a cornerstone of democracies. 

Informed citizens are able to identify economic opportunities. 

-Organizations and institutions must more proactively disseminate public information 

and not wait for their constituents to come to them. 

-Identify champions to raise the information literacy flag. 

-Be proud of the mission to popularize information literacy and be proud of it as a 

concept. It should be as accepted as a term like “Information Society” or "Civil Society." 

Anna Maria Correia, agreeing with Mr. Horton, said that an Information Society is built 

on information literate people who are able to participate as “active and responsible” 

citizens. 

John Rose applauded the idea of a marketing plan but cautioned it must have a viable 

mechanism that involved multiple players. Information literacy as a component of basic 

literacy would be a good starting point because internationally digital access and 

literacy for the majority of people are accepted goals. 

7.3. Preliminary conclusion: Policy principles

-Information literacy policies and actions MUST take a holistic approach with an 

understanding that it may take generations to implement (achieve results). They must 

recognize that: Different policies may be needed for governments (all levels) and 

various types of organizations; responsibilities flow from bottom up to top down and 

across; and no single solution or model exists. 

-Promote citizens’ right to access to information, which includes proprietary issues, 

government information/security, creating an information commons. 

-Promote value of information literacy at international, national and local levels. 

-Build partnerships for information literacy to include all types of organizations and all 

sectors of government. 

7.4. Final recommendations: Policy principles

-Make clear to all policy makers what information literacy is and its value. 

-Promote citizens’ right to access to information. 

-Address the topic of proprietary information (do not flee from it because it is difficult). 

-Develop strategy to transfer what we have learned about information literacy to 

influence what is taught and how. 

-Develop learning communities. 

-Devote a specific percentage of each information technology-related research and 

infrastructure expenditure to invest in empowering people through information literacy 

21
to use that technology. 

7.5. Action Agenda

-Follow up meeting with an electronic communication. 

-Develop a strategic marketing plan, linked to UN Decade of Literacy4 and other 

international initiatives. Determine appropriate audiences. 

-Build on existing work to create international information literacy forum to assess and 

promote policies, practices and research—for example, Sheffield University’s School of 

Information Studies information literacy web log project.5

-Facilitate information exchange: Build a research and development program; identify 

successful learning communities and share information. 

-Hold competition for international information literacy community centers building on 

concept of excellence and the learning village. 

7.6. Research Agenda

-Identify what research already exists: Collect research related to impact of information 

literacy (e.g., indicators of positive outcomes as interim step); create an international 

study and web log. 

-Compare results of programs with and without information literacy policies. 

-Measure impact of policies. 

-Develop international multidisciplinary cross-sectoral comparative approach to 

research agenda and undertake research. Develop coordinated, systematic, 

international comparative longitudinal research projects. 

 

4

 Available at: www.unesco.org/education/litdecade/ 5

 Available at: http://dis.shef.ac.uk/literacy/project/weblog.html

22
C. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

No event of the magnitude of the Prague meeting can be accomplished without the 

assistance and support of many people and groups. First and foremost the three 

meeting sponsors and organizers express their deep gratitude to the authors of the 

commissioned papers, most of whom were able to attend the Prague meeting, but some 

were unable to attend. Whether participating at the meeting or not, all of the authorparticipants deserve sincere thanks for their outstanding contributions to the 

information literacy literature. These papers, collectively, constitute a major landmark 

in raising the level of public consciousness, internationally, to the importance of 

information literacy in the Internet Age and the Information Society. 

In addition, special thanks are due to many people from the Czech Republic, the host 

country for the meeting, who were such kind and generous hosts. Much appreciation is 

due to Charles University, which served as the principle Czech host institution, and 

particularly to Dr. Richard Papik, Director of the Institute for Information Studies and 

Librarianship at Charles University. And to Vera Langrova who assisted the organizers 

and facilitators in so many ways by providing outstanding meeting room facilities, as 

well as conference supporting equipment, and comfortable sleeping accommodations 

for the participants at the efficient Krystal Hotel, conveniently located between the city 

center and the Prague airport. 

As is so often the case with meetings of this kind, a few individuals must be singled out 

for their tireless dedication to the myriad logistical tasks which must be arranged. In 

that group are, notably, Michaela Dombrovska and Hana Landova, doctoral students at 

the aforementioned Czech academic institution. They labored ceaselessly to help with 

the many arrangements for the meeting, and ensuring its smooth functioning, including 

arrangements for utilizing student-translators for the meeting. 

A number of distinguished Czech officials, by virtue of their presence at the meeting, 

and by their expressions of encouragement, honored the sponsors and organizers, as 

well as the participants, and offered a warm welcome and best wishes for success: 

• Viktorie Spidlova, wife of the Czech Prime Minister, and a librarian herself, 

officially welcomed participants at the meeting banquet. 

• Dr. Vojtech Balik, the Director of the Czech National Library, who participated in 

the banquet program. 

• Mrs. Ludmila Ticha, Head of the Central Library, Czech Technical University in 

Prague who participated in the banquet program and keynoted a follow-on 

information literacy program at Charles University also on the subject of 

information literacy. 

• Jan Krc of the U.S. Embassy in Prague who assisted in U.S.-Czech liaison and 

translation tasks. 

23
Special thanks are due the five cluster group moderators for their work in organizing 

and facilitating their respective panels. Successfully harnessing and mobilizing the 

talents of their participants in the extremely short timeframe within which they had to 

work was a tribute to their superb professional skills. The moderators were: 

o National Case Studies: Patricia Senn Breivik 

o People, Cultures, and Health: Jose Marie-Griffiths 

o Education and Learning: Barbara Cambridge 

o Economic Development: Dorothy Williams 

o Policy and Information Literacy: Toni Carbo 

Finally, last but certainly not least, deep appreciation must go to Jill Cody of Cody 

Associates who so ably and professionally facilitated the meeting's main plenary 

sessions, and to Spenser Thompson, a recent MLIS degree awardee, who not only was 

in charge of audio-visual coordination at the meeting, but took the lead in preparing 

this report, edited by Ms. Cody and formatted by NCLIS. 

24
D. APPENDICES 

25
Appendix 1 

SUMMARY LIST OF RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS

National Case Studies

-Investigate the relationship between information literacy and business. 

-Find out who has the power to act on information literacy initiatives in your country. 

-Identify like-minded individuals in business and government. 

-Research existing information technology initiatives that would benefit from the 

addition of information literacy practices and policies. 

-Start or refine information standards that are particularly relevant to a given nation’s 

needs. 

-Research which communities could most benefit from the introduction of information 

literacy education. 

-Research trends in education are harmonious with information literacy (such as 

education reform and lifelong learning). 

Starting with People, Cultures and Health

-Establish interdisciplinary research council. 

-Identify existing relevant research. 

-Create database of research studies, results, and best practices. 

-Develop and fund interdisciplinary research agenda. 

-Conduct both qualitative and quantitative research. 

Education and Learning

Investigate the character of information literacy in different kinds of environments and 

cultures: 

-Study the information literacy experiences of people and organizations in public and 

proprietary information environments. 

-Study the different information literacy experience of people and organizations in rural 

and urban communities. 

-Study the experience of information literacy in oral-learning communities to enable 

development of digital information skills. 

-Study the experience of information literacy in digital environments. 

-Study the experience of information literacy in different professions and community 

contexts. 

Economic Development

26
The group’s research recommendations focus largely on demonstrating the impact of 

information literacy on the “bottom line” for businesses. Research areas of interest 

should be: 

-The impact of information literacy on economic development including cost 

benefit/value analysis of information literacy programs in the workplace. 

-The relationship between information literacy and effective knowledge management. 

-The positive impact of information literacy in profit and nonprofit organizations. 

-Relationship between information literacy and entrepreneurship. 

-The nature of appropriate and effective teaching and learning strategies for workplace 

information literacy. 

In addition, the group called for an investigation of the applicability of information 

literacy practice within NGOs/Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and development 

aid. 

Policy and Information Literacy

-Identify existing research: Collect research related to impact of information literacy 

(e.g., indicators of positive outcomes as interim step); create an international study and 

web log. 

-Compare results of programs with and without information literacy policies. 

-Measure impact of policies. 

-Develop international multidisciplinary cross-sectoral comparative approach to 

research agenda and undertake research. 

-Develop coordinated, systematic, international comparative longitudinal research 

projects. 

27
Appendix 2 

TOWARDS THE INFORMATION LITERATE SOCIETY AND LITERACY FOR ALL

Remarks by 

Shigeru AOYAGI, Chief 

Literacy and Non-formal Education Section, Basic Education Division, UNESCO 

The representatives of the Czech Republic, Dr. Joan Challinor, Dr.. Patricia Senn 

Breivik, distinguished participants, honorable guests. 

It gives me a pleasure to say a few words on the opening of the Information Literacy 

Meeting of experts on behalf of UNESCO. First of all, I would like to express our sincere 

gratitude to the organizers, the US National Commission on Libraries and Information 

Science and the National Forum on Information Literacy for their effort to realize this 

important meeting. 

In its medium-term strategy from 2002 to 2007, UNESCO set two crosscutting themes to 

contribute to its unifying mandate of peace and human development in an era of 

globalization. They are, first, eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty, and 

second, the contribution of information and communication technologies to the 

development of education, science and culture and construction of a knowledge society. 

In order to pursue these cross-cutting themes, the three-fold strategic thrust articulated 

in the plan involves: (1) developing and promoting universal principles and norms, 

based on shared values, in order to meet emerging challenges in UNESCO’s fields of 

competence and to protect and strengthen the “common public good,” (2) promoting 

pluralism, through recognition and safeguarding of diversity together with the 

observance of human rights, and (3) promoting empowerment and participation in the 

emerging knowledge society through equitable access, capacity building and sharing of 

knowledge. In line with this mid-term strategy, which implies the significant role of 

knowledge-based society in bringing equity, democracy and peace to the world, 

UNESCO carries out various programmes related to the information literacy in different 

sectors. 

In the Education Sector, its priority has long been given to achieving Education for All. 

Above all, literacy is considered as a fundamental tool for every form of learning, 

formal, non-formal and informal, and a prerequisite for social, cultural and economic 

participation. What is, then, literacy? The definition of literacy employed internationally 

in the process of the Education for All (EFA) 2000 Assessment was that “Literacy is the 

ability to read and write with understanding a simple statement related to one’s daily 

life. It involves a continuum of reading and writing skills, and often includes also basic 

arithmetic skills (numeracy). A number of countries have adapted this definition to 

figure out the number of literates and illiterates and the literacy rate. However, the 

definition is not broad enough to capture the complexity and diversity of literacy. 

28
Literacy means different thing to different people. People living in mountainous areas 

in the North Thailand, for instance, acquire, learn and use literacy in totally different 

ways from the people in the capital city, Bangkok. Just as literacy is complex, so is the 

information literacy, since both of them are evolving in accordance with the everchanging world. The UNESCO Education Sector is now preparing its position paper on 

literacy, which intends to illustrate the plural notion of literacy and to suggest concrete 

actions for literacy policy makers and providers to interpret such a plural notion into 

their policy and programmes addressing learning needs of the people who are still 

excluded. 

The United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) (which was officially launched by Mr. 

Kofi Annan, SG, UN and Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO in New 

York on 13 February of this year) should be fully utilized for improving the literacy 

situation and creating literate the society. The world is still facing the scandalous fact 

that one of the five adults simply cannot read and write. There is a huge gap between 

information literates and information illiterates, but the gap is much wider between 

information literates and illiterates who do not have basic literacy skills. UNESCO, as 

the leading agency in implementing the Decade will strive for reducing such gaps and 

creating literate environments in collaboration with all the stakeholders including UN 

partners, bi-lateral and multi-lateral development agencies, governments, NGOs, Civil 

Society, communities, and the public at large. 

UNESCO has, since it’s founding, had a mandate to promote international cooperation 

and development in communication and information. In particular, within its 

intergovernmental Information for All Programme (IFAP), it is working to promote: 

- International reflection and debate on the ethical, legal and societal challenges of 

the Information Society; 

- Wide and affordable access to information through digitization, preservation and 

dissemination; 

- Training and education in the fields of communication, information and 

informatics; 

the production and dissemination of local content by local communities; 

- The use of international standards and best practices in communication, 

information and informatics; and 

- The development of information and ICT applications in UNESCO's fields of 

competence. 

UNESCO is planning to reinforce its support for information and ICT in the service of 

education in the next biennium (2004-2005). In particular, a specific programme on 

"Harnessing ICTs for education" is foreseen to be carried out in close cooperation with 

the UNESCO Education programme. Within this sub-programme, a specific main line 

of action will deal with "Empowering people through information, media and ICT 

literacy". 

29
The notion of information literacy is complex and has been evolving in accordance with 

the social transformations such as political and socio-economic changes in the countries, 

trends of globalization, and advancement of ICT. It is clear, however, that for all 

societies information literacy is becoming increasingly important component of not only 

literacy policies and strategies, but also of broader policies and strategies to promote 

human development. 

Our challenge over the coming days is to reflect on this complicated issue and come up 

with a working concept of information literacy that is applicable to different cultures 

and different levels of development—along with some recommendations for 

appropriate local, national and international action. I wish you well in this very 

important work, which UNESCO is following with great interest.

30
Appendix 3 

WOMEN IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD AND INFORMATION LITERACY 

Remarks by 

Joan R. Challinor, Ph.D. 

Chairperson, US National Commission on Libraries and Information Science

Good afternoon. I am Joan Challinor, Chairperson of the US National Commission on 

Libraries and Information Science. I welcome this opportunity to speak to you about a 

subject close to my heart and one that I think may have been slighted by this meeting: 

"Women in the Developing World and Information Literacy." 

Jackman and Jones in their fine paper written for this meeting state the situation boldly 

“the economic and social gains from globalization have not been equitably 

distributed...” Who, then, has been left out? Many in the developing world: the poor 

(predominately women); the unschooled (predominately women); and the illiterate 

(predominately women) have been overlooked. I want to talk with you today about 

these women. Without a discussion of how information literacy should impact, elevate 

and enhance the lives of women, we are selling our concept short. 

Let me give you an example: Woody Horton in his fine paper identifies an “informed 

citizenry” as a critical factor for a “stable democracy.” Yet women are 50% of all voters 

in all countries. And let us ask, how many women are “informed” in the sense Horton 

means? Soledad Ferreiro suggests that “government policy-makers must highlight the 

importance of information literacy as a basic human right.” I ask: if women are to enjoy 

this basic human right, who is looking out for their ability to read even the simplest 

written document? Yes, I know there are many attempts to improve women’s literacy in 

the developing world, but I ask, how does our meeting add to these efforts? 

Wilson Aiyepeku is helpful on this point. He writes of our meeting’s bias toward 

“digital literacy” and “Internet Age skills.” I agree with him, even to the extent of 

suggesting that “aural information literacy” might be, at a future time, a subject of such 

a meeting as ours. Radio is well recognized in many parts of the developing world as 

the cheapest, most effective way to reach those millions of women whose digital 

competence lies far in the future. I think we have to agree that, for the moment, 

information literacy does imply a digitally competent workforce, a business thrust and 

a highly educated workforce. Where these sociological conditions exist then we have a 

chance to get “information literacy” in gear. 

Yet there is another view. I ally myself with Elsa Ramirez who writes so well about the 

“continuing aggravation of the problem of the divide between the ‘information haves’ 

and the ‘information have-nots.’ ” She has identified “cultural modernization” as 

crucial to the subject we are discussing, and she is right. All these concepts: digital 

31
literacy, information literacy, and basic literacy swim like fish in a cultural ocean. We 

must look to these oceans, examine them, and know their ebbs and flows if we are to 

make all our literacy efforts effective. 

Social conditions matter. Let me talk about the cultural ocean of the developing world 

and the subject of women and information. We must begin to think that in the 

developing world women’s present place in the information revolution is so 

problematic, so egregious, and so deplorable that we must, at last, make a meaningful

effort to put it right. I know, as you know, that there has been in the past few years, an 

extraordinary effort to understand and become sensitive to women and their needs in 

the developing world. It is now past time to accept an “information literacy superhighway” on which men in the developed world, and some in the developing world, 

are traveling in fast cars while the vast majority of women in the developing world are 

walking barefoot on dirt roads. 

The expression “information is power” is now accepted. And we agree, at last, that 

women have an essential role in sustainable human development. But, I ask, how have 

these twin realizations interacted? Why have women been forgotten in the powerful 

information world at the very moment that they are recognized as all-important? I 

suggest that for many in the developed world these two ideas spin, endlessly separated, 

like planets, never really touching, never striking each other to produce the sparks, 

which ignite actions. It is, more than ever, important to explore the ways in which the 

information revolution and the empowerment of women may be brought together. 

Three fundamental convictions inspire my talk today: 

1) Women must first be literate before they can be part of the world of information 

literacy. 

2) Women in the developed and developing world must be part of the discussion. 

They should be involved in every stage of gathering and disseminating 

information and should determine what information is to be collected, and how 

and in what form it is to be shared. 

3) All information gathered by worldwide organizations should include complete 

data on women, and this information should be disseminated in a form that is 

accessible and useable to women in every geographic and demographic setting. 

First: Why do women in the developing world need full and unrestricted access to 

information? Just one example: women and the law. These women cannot benefit from 

laws of which they are unaware, laws which would help them in the workplace, in 

getting and keeping property, and in voting for officials who would serve them in their 

governments. Most importantly, they need the ability to see that laws already on the 

32
books are truly enforced. Health information is another need: without basic health 

information and the ability to use it, women cannot take charge of their own lives. They 

will not know how to limit the number of children they will bear and, hence, they will 

forever face life as third-class citizens. Health literacy may be a desideratum for us; for 

most women in the developing world it is a matter of life and death for themselves and 

for their children. The paper by Ms. Kickbusch, Ms. Caldwell and Ms. Hartwig is 

eloquent on this subject. 

Second: Why should women be involved in gathering and disseminating information? 

Just consider how little of the information in today’s world pertains to women’s lives in 

the developing world. If asked, and if we listened, they will tell us what information 

would be most useful to them and in what form they wish to receive it. Information 

should not just travel on a one-way ticket, from the developed world to the developing 

nations; it should also travel in reverse. These women should be encouraged to collect 

their information: indigenous art, stories, folk medicine, oral histories, religious 

culture—indigenous knowledge of all kinds that has been previously disregarded by 

the “information world.” Again, see the Kickbusch, Caldwell and Hartwig paper. The 

listening has hardly begun. Yet not to involve women from the developing world in the 

discussion, fully and completely, will be carrying on a one-way conversation. The bitter 

end of colonialism should have taught us how useless and how harmful are one-way 

conversations. Have we, in the developed world, learned, really learned our lesson? The 

jury is still out. 

Third: Why is data on women in the developing world important and why must they 

have better access to it? Women in the developing world raise the children, do much of 

the back-breaking daily work, farm, weave the cloth, negotiate for food and labor, and 

much, much else. But much of the world’s information has to do with “men’s work.” 

Further, this information is most often disseminated throughout cities, and this is as 

true of the developing world as it is of the developed world. People in rural areas—

especially women—come up very short if they receive any information at all. In the 

United States, 99% of the public libraries are now connected to the Internet. But women 

in the developing world, especially those in the rural sections, cannot walk to a library 

because there are no libraries. If women are to assert their rightful place in the world’s 

evolving social, intellectual, political and economic systems, we of the developed world 

must work to see that women, all women, have access to and use of the world’s 

gigantic, and still growing, information base. We must also consider that networking—

made so easy by access to the Internet—between women of all countries and diverse 

backgrounds, could generate valuable insights and engender confidence in their own 

ability to cope with their lives in a swiftly changing world. 

Again, “Information,” as we are often told, “is power.” Less often do we follow that 

statement with a discussion of “the responsibilities of gathering and disseminating 

information.” What, then, I ask today is our responsibility toward the women of the 

33
developing world—those women who often labor beyond endurance for their families? 

For too long we have congratulated ourselves on our information know-how without 

investigating our responsibilities with the same intensity. We must somehow extend the 

present very valuable discussion of information literacy to include in the distant future 

information literacy for all women in all countries of every socio-economic condition. 

I suggest that we have a great responsibility to make access to information and 

information literacy a part of “women’s empowerment.” That women in the developing 

world must be empowered should be obvious to us all. But just how we go about this 

task is not as clear. What I do know is that bringing the world of information to these 

women and giving them a chance to contribute to it is a part of the answer. 

The mandate of NCLIS is, in part, “to appraise the adequacies and deficiencies of 

current library and information resources.” This mandate does not stop at the water’s 

edge. We of NCLIS are, therefore, concerned now, and in the future, with women’s 

access to information and information literacy in the developing world as well as in the 

developed part of the globe. The three organizations here today, UNESCO, NCLIS and 

the National Forum on Information Literacy, are in powerful positions to help ensure 

that women in the developing world will have input in, and access to, all the 

information presently at the fingertips of the developed world. Until we understand the 

many oceans in which basic literacy and information literacy swim, our task is only half 

finished. I am sure, like me, you wish to see our task well finished. Phillip Candy’s 

quotation from the 68 Digital Opportunities Taskforce is deeply meaningful: “to help 

the poorest help themselves to create richer and fuller lives that express and affirm their 

own distinctiveness in an increasingly interconnected global village.” These are the 

women I have been talking about.

34
Appendix 4 

LIST OF MEETING PARTICIPANTS AND PAPER AUTHORS

Note: An asterisk (*) opposite the participant's name indicates the individual was 

commissioned to prepare a paper in advance of the Prague meeting, but could not attend the 

meeting. 

Wilson Aiyepeku, Nigeria* 

Morayo Atinmo and Rasheed Aderinoye 

University of Ibadan

Shigeru Aoyagi, Japan/France 

Chief, Literacy and Non-formal Education Section, 

Division of Basic Education,UNESCO 

David Bawden, UK* 

Patricia Senn Breivik, USA 

Dean, Dr. Martin Luther King Library 

San Jose State University, California

Christine Bruce, Australia 

Associate Professor, Director of Teaching and 

Learning, Queensland University of Technology 

Amelia Caldwell, USA 

Project Director, Research Division 

Dept. of Family Medicine, KU Medical Center

Barbara Cambridge, USA 

Vice President for Field of Inquiry and Action, 

American Association for Higher Education 

Philip Candy, Australia/UK 

Director, Learning Strategy & Standards 

NHSU, London

Toni Carbo, USA 

Professor, School of Information Sciences and 

Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, 

Univerisity of Pittsburg 

Ralph Catts, Australia 

School of Professional Development and 

Leadership/Faculty of Education, Health and 

Professional Studies,The University of New England 

Joan Challinor, USA 

Chairperson, US National Commission on Libraries 

and Information Science (NCLIS)

Bonnie Cheuk, Singapore/UK 

Director, Knowledge Management, British Council 

Jill Cody, USA 

President, Cody Associates (Meeting Facilitator) 

Ana Maria Correia, Portugal 

Associate Professor, Universidade Nova de Lisboa 

Hana Landova, The Czech Republic 

PhD Student, Charles University 

Feiching Ma, China* 

Professor, Dean of School of Information Management, 

Wuhan University 

Camile McMahon, Australia* 

Faculty of Information Technology, Queensland University 

of Technology 

Penny Moore, New Zealand* 

Executive Director, International Association of School 

Librarianship 

Zdravka Pejova, Slovenia 

Head, Information and Library Science, International 

Center for Promotion of Enterprises 

Gloria Ponjuan, Cuba* 

Head, Department of Library and Information Science 

Philippe Queau, France* 

Directeur de la division de la Societe de Information de 

l’UNESCO 

Catherine Quinlan, Canada* 

The University Librarian, University of British Columbia 

Library 

Melinda Quintos de Jesus, The Phillipines 

Executive Director,Center for Media Freedom & 

Responsibility 

Hannelore Rader, USA 

Dean, University Libraries, University of Louisville, 

Kentucky 

Elsa Ramirez, Mexico* 

Researcher, Library Science Research Center of the National 

University of Mexico 

Kay Raseroka, Botswana 

President 2003-2005, International Federation of Library 

Associations and Institutions 

John Rose, USA/France 

Programme Specialist, Information Society Division, 

UNESCO 

Victor Rosenberg, USA 

Associate Professor, School of Information, University of 

35
Michaela Dombrovska, The Czech 

Republic 

PhD Student, Charles University 

Soledad Ferreiro, Chile 

Directora, Biblioteca Del Congreso National De 

Chile 

Sharon Grant, Canada 

Librarian, International Agency for Research on 

Cancer, World Health Organization 

Jose-Marie Griffiths, USA 

Doreen E. Boyce Chair and Director Sara Fine 

Institute for Interpersonal Behavior & Technology, 

School of Information Sciences, University of 

Pittsburgh 

Woody Horton, USA 

Consultant, US National Commission on Libraries 

and Information Science(NCLIS)

Lana Jackman, USA 

Consultant, Melange, Information Services, Inc. 

Aija Janbicka, Latvia 

Director,Scientific Library, Riga Technical 

University 

Sally Johnstone, USA 

Director, Wcet, The Cooperative 

Lorna Jones, USA 

Consultant, Melange, Information Services, Inc

Barbie Keiser, USA 

Senior Associate, Caliber Associates, Inc. 

Ilona Kickbusch, USA* 

Division of Global Health Yale University School of 

Epidemiology and Public Health 

Michigan 

Mirja Ryynanen, Finland 

Former Member, Parliament of Finland 

Shawky Salem, Egypt 

Chairman, Alex Centre for Multimedia & Libraries and 

Professor, Information Technology, Alexandria University 

Nirmala Shrestha, Nepal 

Head, Central Department of Library and Information 

Science, Tribhuvan University 

Caroline Stern, USA 

Associate Professor, Department of Languages and 

Literature, Ferris State University, MI 

Frank Thompson, Australia 

F. Thompson and Associates 

Peter Underwood, South Africa 

Centre for Information Literacy, Department of Information 

and Library Studies, University of Cape Town 

Robert Wedgeworth, USA 

President, ProLiteracy Worldwide, Syracuse,New York 

Martha Whitehead, Canada 

Head, Information Services, The University of British 

Columbia 

Dorothy Williams, UK 

Professor, School of Information & Media, Faculty of 

Management, The Robert Gordon University 

Abdul Zia, Afghanistan* 

Manager, Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief, 

Resource and Information Centre 

36
Appendix 5 

PROGRAMME-AT-A-GLANCE

Day One 

(Saturday 9/ 20/ 03) 

Day Two 

(Sunday 9/ 21/ 03) 

Day Three 

(Monday 9/ 22/ 03) 

Day Four 

(Tuesday 9/ 23/ 03) 

Participants Arrive and 

Register at Hotel

7: 00- 8: 15 A.M. 

Breakfast 

8: 30- 9: 00 A.M. Official 

Opening & Welcoming 

Remarks 

9: 00- 9: 30 A.M. 

Meeting Format & 

Logistics 

9: 30- 9: 45 A.M. Break 

9: 45- 11: 45 A.M. 

"An Emerging Global 

Priority": National Case 

Studies

7: 00- 7: 45 A.M. 

Breakfast 

8: 00- 10: 00 A.M. 

"Education and 

Learning" 

10: 00- 10: 15 A.M. 

Break 

10: 15- 12: 15 P.M. 

"Economic 

Development"

7: 00- 7: 45 A.M. 

Breakfast 

8: 00- 9: 30 A.M. 

Consideration of Draft 

Findings, Conclusions & 

Recommendations 

9: 45- 10: 45 A.M. 

Report Outs from 

Cluster Groups 

10: 45- 11: 00 A.M. 

Break 

11: 00- 11: 30 A.M. 

Presentation of 

Recommendations to 

UNESCO, ITU/ WSIS, 

& other institutions 

targeted for follow- up 

actions 

11: 30- 12: 00 P.M. 

Closing Remarks 

1: 00- 5: 00 P.M. 

Hospitality Suite Open 

Greetings/ Hotel Info 

Participant Badges/ 

Packets Given 

Refreshments Available 

Displays & Sample Info 

Literacy Definitions 

Sightseeing Info 

Local Transportation 

Info 

Restaurant Info 

12: 30- 1: 30 P.M. 

Lunch 

1: 45- 3: 45 P.M. 

"Looking Forward": 

Policy Issues 

3: 45- 4: 00 P.M. 

Break 

4: 00- 5: 00 P.M. 

Pinpointing key 

Findings, Conclusions & 

Recommendations 

12: 00 P.M. 

Meeting Officially 

Adjourns 

4: 00- 4: 45 P.M. 

Organizers meet with 

Facilitators

12: 00- 1: 15 P.M. 

Lunch & 

Keynote Speaker 

37
1: 30- 3: 30 P.M. 

"Starting With People, 

Cultures, and Health" 

3: 30- 3: 45 P.M. 

Break 

3: 45- 5: 00 P.M. 

Pinpointing key 

Findings, Conclusions & 

Recommendations

5: 00 P.M. 

Facilitators & 

Organizers 

meet

5: 00- 6: 15 P.M. 

Dinner at Hotel 

6: 30 P.M. 

Cluster Group Meetings 

(The 4 Cluster & 1 

National Case Study 

Group meet separately)

5: 00 P.M. 

Free Evening

7: 00 P.M. 

Banquet 

Facilitators and 

Organizers meet 

after Banquet if 

necessary to finalize 

Draft Recommendations

38
Appendix 6 

WEBOGRAPHY 

of 

Selected NCLIS Website Citations 

Click on the following: 

1. to see the abstracts for all commissioned papers submitted in advance of the 

meeting, arranged alphabetically by the author-participant: 

http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/abstracts.html

2. to see the full texts for all commissioned papers submitted in advance of the 

meeting, arranged alphabetically by the author-participant: 

http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/papers/papers.html

3. to see the topics index for all commissioned papers and panel group assignments 

for each paper: 

http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/grouppapers.html

4. to see biographical sketches for the participants: 

http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/bios.html

5. to see a report of the Preliminary Planning Meeting held at NCLIS in 

Washington, D.C. 10/9-10/10 2001: 

http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitcfon&meet/CodyFinalRpt.pdf

6. to see the Expected Outcomes planning document preceding the Prague meeting: 

http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/ExpectedOutcomes.pdf

7. for the webpage that lists all other events that took place prior to the Prague 

Meeting, Sept. 20-23, 2003: 

http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/infolitconf&meet.html

8. for the webpage that lists all other events that took place (as of the date of this 

report) following the Prague Meeting, Sept. 20-23, 2003: 

39
 http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/post-infolitconf&meet/post-infolitconf&meet.html

9. for the press release template reporting on the Prague meeting: 

 http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/postinfolitconf&meet/PressReleaseForum.pdf

10. for the Prague Declaration in languages other than English: 

 http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/postinfolitconf&meet/PragueDeclaration.pdf

40