Role of Libraries in Promoting Information Literacy and Combating Misinformation

Abstract

In the digital information age, the rapid proliferation of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news poses serious challenges to education, democracy, and social harmony. Information Literacy (IL), defined as the ability to identify, access, evaluate, and ethically use information, has emerged as a crucial competency for citizens and scholars alike. Libraries, as knowledge institutions and custodians of credible information, play a vital role in fostering information literacy and combating misinformation.

This paper examines the evolving role of libraries—particularly academic and public libraries in India, with special reference to North East India—in promoting critical thinking, digital literacy, and ethical information use. The study adopts a descriptive and analytical approach based on literature review, policy analysis, and emerging best practices. It highlights how libraries conduct information literacy programmes, research ethics workshops, media literacy training, and fact-checking awareness campaigns to counter the growing menace of misinformation, especially through social media and AI-generated content.

The paper also discusses challenges such as limited funding, digital divide, lack of trained personnel, and infrastructural constraints faced by libraries in semi-urban and rural regions of North East India. It concludes with recommendations for integrating information literacy into higher education curricula, strengthening professional development of librarians, and promoting collaborative initiatives among libraries, academic institutions, and government agencies.

The study reaffirms that libraries are not merely repositories of books but active agents of truth, democratic values, and informed citizenship in contemporary society.