An historical perspective on information literacy 1832-1867

Abstract

Purpose
To inform social and academic discourse through an idiographic exploration of
attitudes towards information expressed in Britain during the period 1832-1867.
Aims and objectives
To systematically examine primary sources from Britain in the period 1832-1867 for discourse pertaining to information literacy; To analyse examples thus identified in order to identify terminology and representations of ‘information literacy’; To consider whether examples identified might be considered comparable to current
theories.
Methodology
Delimitation of a sampling frame; Identification of potential source material;
Identification of themes prevalent within the dataset, utilising directed, open and axial coding techniques; Content and contextual analysis of sources pertaining to each theme.
Conclusions
The concept of information literacy was much in evidence in the political, education, public and societal spheres of nineteenth-century discourse; It is therefore overly simplistic to regard information literacy as a modern-day construct.

Date of Award	2012
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Aberystwyth University
Supervisor	Allen Foster (Supervisor)