Integration of Critical Information Literacy Skills in Academic Libraries in Africa

Abstract This paper analyses the impact of integrating Critical Information Literacy (CIL) in academic libraries as a strategy of empowering library users of the critical value of information, and how it can be a transformative tool in impacting the social well-being of a society, especially in Africa. The researchers relied on a literature review as a methodology in the study to explore the evolution and various forms of CIL over the past decade. The study analyses both past and current research on the role of academic libraries in Africa, their orientation toward CIL, and the dynamic trends and challenges faced. The findings reveal that CIL remains largely underutilized in academic libraries across many African countries, with on-going challenges in promoting information literacy. The paper offers several recommendations, including the integration of CIL into Library and Information Science (LIS) higher education curricula in Africa, highlighting the potential benefits of such an approach.