With funding from the Mellon Foundation, Simmons will establish the Center for Information Literacy, which aims to promote informed decision-making and nurture civic participation.
Simmons University has received a $250,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to establish the Center for Information Literacy (CIL). The CIL will focus on cultivating competencies related to locating, accessing, evaluating, and using information. Honing this skill set improves the public’s ability to identify trustworthy information and recognize the characteristics of mis/disinformation.
Simmons’ School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) will collaborate with The Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences and the Simmons University Library on the creation of the CIL. SLIS Professor and Associate Dean Dr. Laura Saunders will serve as the CIL’s inaugural director.
Information literacy — or the ability to access, interpret, and wield information effectively — includes the related areas of news and media, social media, health, civic, and other literacies.
“The purpose and goal of the Center for Information Literacy is to empower people with the skills to access, evaluate, and use information to navigate the information landscape,” Saunders says. “The vision for the Center is a world where information literacy transcends boundaries of privilege and circumstance, where critical thinking flourishes and where every person has the tools to transform information into knowledge, opportunity, and positive change.”
“The partnership between SLIS, the Ifill School and the University Library enables us to work collaboratively across the fields of library and information science, journalism, communication, and other allied fields to develop innovative curricula and engaging programming. In this way, the CIL will equip people with the skills and research needed to refine their understanding of, and approach to, information literacy instruction — especially concerning the issue of mis/disinformation,” Saunders explains.
Building a Culture of Informed Citizenship
With the Mellon Foundation seed funding, Simmons will launch the CIL, develop a robust evaluation plan, and create a three-to-five-year action plan. The CIL’s agenda will include curriculum-building efforts, faculty professional development, and student-driven programming.
Additionally, the CIL intends to offer students awards, internships, and fellowships at Simmons University, as well as relevant programs and events for alumnae/i, journalists, librarians, and the general public.
Simmons’ SLIS library and information science program ranks among the top in the nation, and its faculty have a long record of leadership in the area of information literacy. According to the Dean of SLIS Dr. Sanda Erdelez, “The establishment of the CIL underscores the critical role of SLIS in advancing information literacy education and our longstanding commitment to empowering individuals with the skills needed to be informed and engaged in our society.”
Trained in journalism and media studies, Ifill School Dean Dr. Ammina Kothari understands the necessity of accessible and reliable information.
“By nurturing informed citizenship, the CIL will further Simmons’ commitment to factual information and civic engagement,” she says. “Moreover, the CIL embodies Gwen Ifill’s legacy of truth-telling, responsible discourse, and academic freedom. In an era threatened by misinformation, the CIL will work toward creating a more informed society. We are truly grateful for the philanthropic support of the Mellon Foundation that enables the creation of this important Center.”