The Culture of Inquiry in School Libraries

Abstract

A culture of inquiry is emerging from research-based information literacy instruction that takes place in school libraries. An ethnographic approach views the culture of inquiry through two lenses: (1) cultural anthropology and an emerging theory of evidence-based information literacy instruction, and (2) Tylor's anthropological definition of culture which serves as a framework to examine the knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, law, and customs of instruction. An emerging theory of information literacy instruction unique to school libraries identifies constructivist learning theory as the knowledge source and evidence-based practice as the underlying belief.