Two hundred years ago, literacy meant being able to read and write. Today people find themselves with many literacies in a nation that is considered ninety-nine percent literate. The plethora of literacies has just given birth to another term--transliteracy. Transliteracy is the ability to read, listen to, view, understand, synthesize, and apply…

Examines the information literacy debate, focusing on the term and its definition. Discusses the term's lack of clarity and confusion with other terms (library skills, library use, and bibliographic instruction), and considers the pros and cons of using an old term, a new term, or information literacy. Recommends using information literacy. (PEN)