Measuring the Information Literacy Skills Gap: The Ontario School Library Impact Project

Measuring the Information Literacy Skills Gap: The Ontario School Library Impact Project

For many years, OLA members in school and academic libraries have observed significant gaps in the information literacy skills of high school students transitioning to post-secondary education. To better understand these gaps and how to address them, OLA initiated the Ontario School Library Impact Project (OSLIP) in 2018 to investigate the impact of school libraries on the information literacy skills and abilities of students entering post-secondary education in Ontario.

After 2 years, the results are in: SCHOOL LIBRARIES MAKE A DIFFERENCE

• Investments in school libraries and in school librarians make a positive and significant difference in students’ academic achievement.
• Most Ontario students surveyed had no access to information literacy skills instruction from a teacher-librarian in their critical final year of high school.
• First-year university students lack the information literacy skills needed to meet the demands of college and university course assignments.

READ THE RESEARCH SUMMARY NOW