For most of that generation, it was true. The industrial age was kind to men and women who, could read, write and do arithmetic. These traditional basics were all that were necessary to master the opportunities of an era defined by mass production in large industries. However, our world has experienced an epochal shift in the global economy. The current period is defined by businesses that create, sort, store and move all forms of data.
Information literacy is the ability to access, interpret and respond to information.
In short, the new basic includes the ability to apply the elements of reading, writing, and arithmetic within the context of interactive computing. The access element of information literacy focuses on the need to be familiar with the tools of the information age. These access tools include computers, modems, the Internet, and databases. Firms that add value to the new economy will be those that can maximize the efficiencies created by computers and online networks. Currently, African-Americans are less likely to own a computer than are whites.