Abstract:
Teaching for tomorrow today in academic libraries is primarily a conversation around information literacy (IL) and lifelong learning; IL is “a prerequisite and essential enabler for lifelong learning” (Bundy, 2004, p.4). But it is not just libraries who are interested in lifelong learning. The New Zealand education system also has a strong interest in lifelong learning as seen in the New Zealand Curriculum whose vision for the future is “young people who will be confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners." (Ministry of Education, 2007, p.7). This paper discusses the broadening concepts of literacy (and information literacy) in schools and universities and the need to develop a culture of continuous learning to meet the perceived needs of the 21st century workplace. It argues that academic libraries, with their focus on learning and teaching, have a critical role to play in the development of such a culture. The paper outlines, in the context of international and local literature, why it is important that teachers of today (and tomorrow) acquire the skills necessary to make them future-proof; it describes what those skills are, and provides examples of the collaboration between academic staff, librarians and learning advisers which have resulted in the integration of academic and information literacy skills into the curriculum.
