Anyone providing information literacy workshops and instruction can attest that it is a hard sell. There is a plethora of published literature on the phrase information literacy and what it implies in regards to our students. I am of the belief that using the word literacy has negative connotations. The word itself suggests to students that they are illiterate and deficient in some significant way. What this inevitably does is put our students on the defensive before we even begin instruction. While it may seem like mere semantics, the language we use matters. I want my students to feel comfortable learning new skills, which is why I want to address the concept of information literacy in a way that is meaningful to them and also plays to their strengths.

I would like to share a phrase that I have coined and highlight some of the activities I use in my instruction in the hopes that it will resonate with others teaching information literacy. Recently I have been referring to this set of instruction as information intimacy. Intimacy is a concept we all understand to some degree. Since most of my instructional sessions and workshops involve undergraduates, dating and relationships are something they are familiar with. Equating information intimacy to the dating world speaks their language and allows my students to make the necessary connections that lead to better researching.