Information Literacy for Fashion Students: Translating Visual and Tactile Cues into Searchable Key Terms

Abstract

Emerging fashion researchers often have their first experience with visual and tactile research in postsecondary school. Fashion librarians and educators must be able to assist students in adapting their perspective to include analyses of characteristics like color, silhouette, fabric, weave, and embellishment, in addition to familiarity with the fashion scholarship. However, translating visual and tactile cues into searchable vocabulary bridges can be difficult and exposes a gap in information literacy. In this article the author shares three information literacy exercises that librarians may combine with institution-specific resource instruction to guide students in developing a useful vocabulary for image- and object-based research and meeting their unique educational needs.