Information Literacy, Ideological Education and Cross-Cultural Learning: Exploring the Role of University Libraries in Shaping Student Worldviews

Abstract

The current research focuses on the different interconnections and effects between information literacy, ideological schooling, and cross-cultural education on the attitudes of contemporary university students. The focus of the research is the transformed roles and functions of the university libraries. Libraries cannot be merely sources of knowledge, and they are also active learning environments where students are made to be exposed to a rich collection of cultural texts, ideology and information habits. This is especially true because higher learning institutions are becoming more diverse and globalized. The mixed-methods approach will help the study to analyses the role of library-based instructional programs, digital information sources, and collaborative learning environments in enabling students to analyze information critically, acquire new perspectives on various cultures and formulate informed ideological positions. The study outcomes stress that training information literacy enhances the fact that students can use complex information ecosystems. Moreover, awareness and sympathy across cultures can be generated through collections that have been thoughtfully selected to mirror cultural diversity and programming that is predisposed to cross-cultural interaction. Based on the findings of the study, it is the duty of the university libraries to construct ideologies in a subtle yet significant manner. This is achieved through helping the students to grow in balanced viewpoints, critical thinking and ethical application of information. Ultimately, the paper highlights the evolutionary potential of higher education libraries as non-de facto places of intellectual expansion, cultural interactions, and the creation of globally sensitive citizens ready to behave responsibly in an environment that is becoming more globalized