Culturally Grounded Approaches to Information Literacy Understanding

The dissertation examines and theoretically clarifies the essence and characteristics of information literacy in the modern global information environment. A concept is proved that, since information literacy understanding may vary in different parts of the world due to specific historical and political perspectives as well as different sociocultural characteristics, there is a need of nonhomogeneous culturally grounded approaches to information literacy understanding to better serve specific groups. A new approach to the concept of Information Literacy has been proposed, called Info-cultural Literacy, which is positioned as significant in theoretical and practical aspects. Research tools have been developed to study the sociocultural aspects of the understanding of information literacy, which can be applied in specific countries, geographical regions or ethnic groups around the world. The sociocultural aspects of the understanding of information literacy among the academic librarians in Bulgaria have been established. These can be used in the curriculum and methodology of teaching information literacy in academic and continuing education, as well as for the purposes of strategic planning of practice and instruction for professionals and instructors in the country.