Mind the gap: Exploring differences between librarians’ and students’ perceptions of information literacy instruction

A study of information literacy instruction (ILI) practices in community college libraries in the United States has included a survey of instructional librarians and interviews with students. The goals of the study were to examine how librarians’ ILI is being impacted by the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in the community college context; to understand librarians’ perceptions of their students’ information literacy (IL) abilities; and, to explore students’ experiences of ILI and their perceptions of their IL abilities. The study revealed challenges facing community college librarians, as well as gaps between the librarians’ and students’ perceptions, pinpointing opportunities for instructional improvements.