Information literacy is the buzz phrase of the Information Age. In one brief sentence it can be defined as the ability to find information, to evaluate information, to apply information throughout one’s educational, professional, and personal life. In other words, an information literate person can find, analyze, and apply information to whatever situation they may encounter in the classroom, community, and society at large.

The oppositional nature of Black Studies ensures that most Black Studies majors develop highly developed critical thinking skills. This is the single most important quality of an information literate person. Yet, critical thinking skills alone are not enough.

Information literacy includes a wide range of research, organizational skills, and ability to apply concepts to a particular situation. An information literate person is a life-long independent learner who will apply the process to his/her everyday life decisions at home, work, and in the community. Viewed in this context it is easy to see how the values of Black and Africana studies can be applied to the development of the information competency process.

Additionally, information literacy skills have become the survival skills for the information-based society that we live in. The high-tech divide between students that have these skills and students that don’t is key to understanding possible future inequality and the limited economic role of Blacks within our society.