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Students: Info Lit & LIBR100

Information Literacy at CSM

College of San Mateo defines Information Competency based on the standards from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). College of San Mateo Library’s instructional program is founded on the recommendations of the Association of College and Research Library’s Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education which define information literacy competency as: “a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.”

Community college students must be information literate learners who can:

  • Determine the extent of information needed
  • Access the needed information effectively and efficiently
  • Evaluate information and its sources critically Incorporate selected information into one's knowledge base
  • Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
  • Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally

Since 2010, College of San Mateo has included an Information Literacy graduation Requirement for all students graduating from CSM.

Students with catalog rights beginning Fall 2010 must satisfy the Information Literacy requirement prior to graduation. The information literacy requirement can be satisfied by one of the following options:

  • CSM Coursework or Exams Earning a minimum grade of C or P in one of the following CSM courses:
    • Earning a minimum grade of C or P in ENGL 100, ENGL 105, ENGL C1000, or ENGL C1000E (classes completed Fall 2015 or after).
    • BUSW 530, CIS 110, COUN 129, CRER 129, DGME 100, DGME 102, LIBR 100, LIBR 105, MATH 145 or NURS 242.
  • Completing Approved Courses at Skyline College or Cañada College:
    • Earning a minimum grade of C or P in LIBR100 at Cañada College.
    • Earning a minimum grade of C or P in LSCI100 (completed prior to Fall 2011) or ENGL 100, ENGL 105, ENGL C1000, or ENGL C1000E (only classes completed Fall 2011 or after) at Skyline College.
  • Completing Coursework from Outside of San Mateo Community College District:
    • Earning a minimum grade of C or P in an equivalent course taken outside of the SMCCCD that meets the College of San Mateo Standard for Information Competency. Students who desire to satisfy the requirement using this option must submit an Information Competency Equivalency Petition.

LIBR100: Intro to Library Studies

LIBR100 (1.0 units) is an introduction to library resources and research. This course fulfills the CSM Information Literacy Graduation Requirement. The class provides a practical, hands-on introduction to the library. Topics covered include formulating and refining a research question, library organization, using reference materials, searching the online catalog and databases, searching the Internet, evaluating Web sites, avoiding plagiarism, and citing sources. Letter grade or Pass/No Pass grading. (CSU/UC transferable)

Visit WebSchedule and select the subject Library Science to regsiter or see when LIBR100 is offered next.


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