Abstract:
Information literacy (IL) is the ability to identify, locate, evaluate, organize and effectively create,
use and communicate information to address an issue or a problem. It is a basic human right to
lifelong learning. Information itself is becoming a transforming strategic resource of the emerging
information society. Without information literacy, the information society will not be able to
achieve its full potential. Therefore, the concept and practice of information literacy must be
promoted from an early age among the school going children. Information literacy is more
relevant for the developing nations to enable themselves to bridge the growing info-divide
between the developed and the developing nations. In this context, a regional workshop was
organized by NILIS to create awareness of information skills for learning among the participants
from South and Southeast Asian countries.
Empowering Eight (E8), an Information Literacy Model was developed at this workshop organized
jointly by IFLA-ALP and the National Institute of Library & Information Sciences (NILIS) of Sri
Lanka. There were participants representing ten South and Southeast Asian countries. The
objective of the workshop was to enhance the resource-based learning in these countries by
sensitizing the participants to Information Literacy, which as a concept has not taken roots in
majority of the countries in the region. When a plethora of IL models are already available, one
may question why the wheel is being re-invented. Re-inventing the wheel or developing another
model is essential because of the composite culture and local conditions in these countries. If an
existing model used in a developed country is imposed, it would be difficult for the stakeholders to
understand the philosophical roots behind the model. Therefore, the workshop participants,
throughout five days worked from identifying the need of IL through comparison of different
models to building the E8 to suit the local needs of the region.
This paper will discuss in detail the Empowering 8 model and its application and implementation
in the Sri Lankan context.
