ABSTRACT

It is apparent that individuals can no longer cope -with the information overflow and the information rich environment of today. The paper is framed upon the backdrop that information literacy skills are required now more than ever in view of the explosion of information output and sources. In enumerating the benefits of tertiary  education, the paper highlights the need for academic libraries to strategize in providing information literacy in institutions of tertiary education in Nigeria. The paper brings to limelight the meaning and misconceptions of information literacy. Highlighting the strategies, it emphasizes that information literacy strategies are necessary for academic libraries in Nigeria for a number of purposes such as to: support teaching and learning; embed information literacy in the curriculum; meet students need; ensure employability in a changing world; and develop key lifelong learning skills The inadequacies of current instruction on information literacy in Nigerian tertiary education is examined. The paper enumerates the challenges facing academic libraries towards implementing information literacy strategies. It also presents the core information literacy competency outcomes such as the ability 0 develop effective search strategies; locate and retrieve sources; organize and synthesize information; use and apply information. Recommendations on repositioning academic libraries for information literacy delivery were made.

Keywords: Information Literacy, Tertiary Education, Academic Libraries.