Sky-Hi News: Freedom of Information Day is observed every year on James Madison’s birthday, March 16. Madison was an advocate for government transparency and was committed to the ideal of public access to information.

The Freedom of Information Act was signed into law July 4, 1966, and implemented a year later. It empowered citizens to request and obtain government records. Over the years, FOIA has enhanced public understanding of government operations, provided valuable information to researchers and journalists, and exposed governmental misconduct.

Modern life has us all in a position of being bombarded by information from many sources. You may not have heard the term “information literacy,” but you likely have a sense of the importance of this concept. According to the American Library Association, information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information.”

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