User education and Information Literacy: theoretical and practical affiliations

Abstract

It deals with the relationship between user education and Information Literacy. In order to reach this goal, it presents the historical and conceptual evolution of information users and the themes of user education and information competence at national and world level. Furthermore, it presents elements close to user education and Information Literacy, which are the studies of information users and user behavior. The accomplishment of this task includes a bibliographical survey of the literature in the Portuguese and English languagesavailable in national and international databases. From the literature presented, the research identified conceptual congruence between the two spheres, in which both promote independent and lifelong learning through the development of skills, attitudes and values related to the use of resources and sources of information. A subtle difference was evidenced in the genesis of movements, in the representation of the library environment, and in the matter of information evaluation. In the end, it concludes that both movements associate Librarianship and Information Science with the educational role of librarians and libraries and the construction of a free and democratic society.