IamInfoSMART 2015 Advances Information Literacy Skills

 The Libraries’ information literacy (IL) campaign dubbed as IamInfoSMART, on its third year, continuously aimed at honing students’ IL skills and raising their awareness on the importance of IL in their pursuit for academic and research excellence. This year’s week-long fair of exhibitions, learning sessions, and interactive games was held on 03-07 November 2015 at The Learning Commons, Henry, Sy. Sr. Hall. With the theme "Done Searching, Now Sharing: Advancing Information Literacy Skills for the Responsible and Ethical Use of Information", IamInfoSMART 2015 puts emphasis on the R(efer information sources correctly) and T(reat and apply information ethically) information literacy skills of the InfoSMART framework.

The opening ceremonies on 03 November 2015 which was graced by DLSU’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Services, Ms. Kai Shan L. Fernandez and invited keynote speaker Prof. Paul Nieuwenhuysen of Vrije Universiteit Brussel kicked off this year’s IamInfoSMART Week. Ms. Fernandez, in her welcome remarks, emphasized the importance of advancing IL skills by teaching the researchers on how to use information responsibly and ethically. Prof. Nieuwenhuysen, in his keynote address, presented his paper entitled, "Information literacy didactics: 12 pitfalls, bottlenecks & challenges" which enumerated the issues and problems encountered in teaching IL and suggested a number of ways to improve didactics in this area.

Another highlight of the short program was the launching of the Online IamInfoSMART Goes Mobile. Mr. Yugosto Balbas, Systems Services Librarian, who designed the mobile website, introduced the interface and demonstrated the steps in installing/bookmarking the mobile app. To further promote this new service, freebies were given to patrons who showed the installed Online IamInfoSMART mobile app on their mobile devices.

The ribbon cutting and opening of the multi-media exhibit signalled the commencement of the IamInfoSMART 2015. This year’s exhibit featured six infographics on referencing and plagiarism, the online IamInfoSMART website, and a total of seven fun and exciting daily games, namely: How InfoSMART Are You?, Heads Up!, Digital Pictionary, IamInfoSMART Land, Supersized Jenga, Giant Pacman, and Press to Play Nook.

A total of 468 students, faculty, and visitors joined and played in the IamInfoSMART 2015 multi-media exhibit which ran from 03 to 07 November 2015.

	Are you a novice, apprentice, adept, or master? Know your IL level by taking our online quiz. Make a statement. Take a pose. Win a prize!
	We sure would like to test your knowledge in Seeking for the right information! Get a partner and play our customized information literacy deck in Heads Up!
	Better in expressing thoughts in graphic form? Draw and guess the terminologies related to Managing retrieved information effectively in our Digital Pictionary.
	Wanna meet LORA and friends? IamInfoSMART Land introduces you to the Library Online Reference Assistant and the other 7 members of the League of Information Assistants as you answer questions related to Assessing information critically.
	Setting up the Jenga tower (and watching it crash down) is fun, but a supersized version is indeed more exciting! With corresponding questions on Referring information sources correctly for each Jenga block you take from the tower, the challenge is just so real.
	Dress up as the Giant Pacman and gather as many fruits as you can! Each fruit scattered in the Pacman Maze has a surprise inside it - a question related to Treating and applying information ethically you’ll need to answer.
	Play any or all of three online games related to referencing and plagiarism to win a prize!

A total of 468 students, faculty, and visitors joined and played in the IamInfoSMART 2015 multi-media exhibit which ran from 03 to 07 November 2015.

More exciting activities and learning sessions were also held during the IamInfoSMART 2015 Week:

Day 1 - 03 November 2015 WeAreInfoSMART Battle of the Brains	Day 1 - 03 November 2015 WeAreInfoSMART On-the-Spot Poster Making Contest	Day 2 - 04 November 2015 TeachMeet with LORA, the Librarian
Day 2 - 04 November 2015	Day 3 - 05 November 2015	Day 4 - 06 November 2015
Day 4 - 06 November 2015	Day 5 - 07 November 2015