Computer Literacy: Necessity or Buzzword?

Authors

Scott Childers, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

9-7-2003

Citation

Information Technology and Libraries (September 2003) 22(3): 100-104

http://www.lita.org/ala/lita/litapublications/ital/italinformation.cfm

Comments

Copyright 2003, American Library Association. Used by permission

Abstract

While the concept of computer literacy has existed for some time, the name has certainly changed. Whatever the name, the concept of computer literacy still has merit. By looking at the history of the computer literacy movement for grounding, we can build a definition for the next century and affirm that learning computer basics is a good thing for library staff to do.

The term computer literacy seems to have faded from library literature, but has the belief that the general populace should possess a basic computer-skill level faded as well? Have we already achieved this nebulous goal, or has the goal been redefined into something else? Are the skills we used to define computer literacy now called computer competency or possibly one of a host of terms, such as digital literacy, computer skills, Internet literacy, Informatics, computer proficiency, and others that have been used for more than two decades?

Whatever the name, the concept of computer literacy still has merit. By looking at the history of the computer literacy movement for grounding, we can build a definition for the next century and know that learning computer basics is a good thing for library staff to do.