About Us
Locate credible Information
For School, Work and Life
History and Mission
Also known as the 21st Century Information Fluency Project (21CIF), Information Fluency was launched in 2001 by the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) in Aurora, Illinois. Funded by the US Department of Education, the mission was to research and develop training in the largely unexplored field of online information literacy. It immediately became clear that the largest needs in this area were for professional development and resources to help educators, students, trainers and employees improve their ability to locate, evaluate and use digital information. That remains the mission of Information Fluency.
After federal funding ended, from 2009 to 2024 the 21CIF authors transformed this project into a sustainable service for schools and libraries. Presently, resources are no longer publicly available. Resources may be purchased by institutions and hosted on their sites for students to use. For sample materials, check out this page or use the contact information at the bottom of this page.
A proliferation of fake news graphically demonstrates the need for information fluency in everyday life. How are people getting their news? How are they evaluating what they read? On its face, the Internet is not considered a trustworthy resource. The need for investigative searching has never been greater. The tools and resources on the Information Fluency site equip researchers, both amatuer and professional, with skills to evaluate digital information before consuming it unawares.
Digital Information Fluency (DIF) is the ability to find, evaluate and use information retrieved online effectively, efficiently and ethically. DIF involves Internet and database search skills that start with understanding how digital information is different from print information, knowing how to use specialized tools for finding digital information and strengthening the dispositions needed in the digital information environment.
Teachers, librarians and trainers must improve their skills and, in turn, equip learners of all ages to achieve 21st Century research proficiencies.
Whether you are a student, already have a career or just spend time online, you need credible information. The alternative is misinformation, and that can be costly. You already have your own search strategies, but are they the most effective and efficient?