The concepts of information literacy are complex and not easily defined at the international level. In many languages the terms do not easily translate. Therefore, a (non-verbal) image, such as the IFLA-UNESCO InfoLit Logo was developed to represent the ideas and values of Information Literacy without words. The logo itself can become a useful tool if a proper branding and marketing plan is developed. Drafting a marketing plan requires a process that this manual summarizes in an easy to read format. The different steps are briefly described, followed in general by a list of actions. It is not necessary to read or use the entire manual. Feel free to select the parts that best serve your needs.
1.1. Purpose of the Logo. Information Literacy (IL) programs have received an increasing attention over the last 40 years by the library community, as lifelong learning approaches gain momentum in the education sector, and societies require multitalented citizens. The IFLA-UNESCO IL Logo is a symbol that will help communication of information literacy efforts. It will allow a quick and simple association with the IL learning services and related organizations and products that you may offer. The logo is intended as an international symbol for information literacy, and it is expected to bring together individuals and institutions around the world that have recognized the ultimate importance of IL programs as an essential component of the knowledge society. The aim of creating this logo, according to the call for proposals, was “to make communication easier between those who carry out information literacy projects, their communities, and society in general”.
1.2. Purpose of the Manual. The manual objective is to guide the usage of the logo in branding and marketing stages of any IL program. The target market is librarians, educators and anyone involved in related activities. Marketing plans are typically targeted to external audiences, but involving internal audiences: staff, friends, and volunteers, is critical to the success of any communication effort; hence the importance of keeping the staff informed and involved in each step. Following a common branding and marketing process, like the one included in this manual, can help your work team integrate the logo use into your program. Readers are encouraged to select and adapt the manual recommendations that will fit best their libraries and their institutions at large.
1.3 Supporting Resources. In addition to the IL logo, IFLA and UNESCO have developed other projects with the goal of “… providing a pragmatic framework to those professionals who need or are interested in starting an information literacy program from scratch”. The resources are the (1) Information Literacy Guidelines for Life-Long Learning (Lau 2006) that has been translated into more than ten languages. Along with the Guidelines, there is (2) a 20 hour online workshop on How to Create an Information Literacy Program. Also available is the (3) International Information Literacy Resources Directory (and a repository) that offers more than 1,500 tools and best practices materials that are mostly free. The Directory offers you the opportunity to share your own IL resources and give visibility to your IL experiences. Another resource is (4) the International Information Literacy State-of-the Art Report. All the resources are coordinated by the author and are available at www.infolitglobal.info. Information literacy professionals are welcome to visit and make a fruitful use of the materials and experiences offered at these sources, thanks to the work of many IL professionals from around the world.
In section 6, there is a list of selected and freely available branding and marketing resources that can be useful in the implementation of IL programs.