The Information Society: A Study of Continuity and Change

by JohnFeather (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  2000

  $3.25

  What is information? Who are the information rich and who are the information poor? Set against a broad historical backdrop, this study explores the information society in the light of the economic and social pressures which are placed upon information gatherers and keepers. This third edition has been revised to take account of further rapid change in mass media in general and in the World Wide Web in particular. The commercial value of information to those who wish to access it and to those who wish to process and disseminate it becomes increasingly important in a world where information can be transmitted in split seconds. Information can become a political tool which can be abused as easily as it is used. In examining the differing threads that make up the information society, the author looks at the ehtics of information transfer in the context of the social relationship between the citizen and the state. Major contemporary issues examined include censorship, copyright, freedom of information and access to information. The inquisitive nature of this examination of the information profession and its exploration beyond the traditional boundaries of librarianship should make it useful to all information providers. It is also suitable for students of information, librarianship and information studies.

• Used

  Paperback
  2008

  $3.25

  About previous editions: 'This book presents a lucid and easily absorbed review of a complex and turbulent field...a masterly, sweeping study' - Education for Information. 'It gives an excellent overview and places the issues in the wider context often lacking in books written for university curricula. Highly recommended' - Information World Review . 'It should be a must on all library and information science course lists and I will certainly be recommending it to my own cohort of future information professionals...' - Journal of Documentation . 'It is excellent to read a text of this sort that draws upon examples from many different countries...an outstanding text that I would recommend to any student commencing graduate study in LIS' - Australian Library Journal .What is information? Who are the information rich and who are the information poor? How can there be equality of access for users in the light of the economic and cultural pressures that are placed upon information gatherers and keepers? Set against a broad historical backdrop, The Information Society explores the information revolution that continues to gather pace. The commercial value of information becomes increasingly important in a world where data can be transmitted in a split second. This latest edition takes full account of significant developments since 2004. The advanced technologies and systems of a decade ago are falling into disuse; the floppy disk has all but vanished, and the CD-ROM will surely follow.Simple phrases like 'Web 2.0' or 'the social web' conceal rather than explain the significance of the concepts that they embody. As the quantity of personal digitized information continues to grow exponentially, so do both the benefits of exploiting it and the dangers of misusing it. The use of ICT to make government more accessible has to be balanced against the use of technologies that enable the state to be more vigilant or more intrusive, according to one's point of view. Behind all of this lies further technical change: the massive expansion of connectivity to high-speed broadband networks; the phased abandonment of analogue broadcasting; and the development of multi-functional mobile devices which carry voice, video and data and which can themselves be carried anywhere.The implications for daily life, for education, for work and for social and political relationships are massive. This questioning, open-minded look at the information profession and its break-out from the traditional boundaries of librarianship will interest all information professionals. It is also invaluable for students on courses in information, librarianship and communications studies, where an understanding of the nature of the information society is an essential underpinning of more advanced work.