What is the field of Information?

1. What is the field of Information? • A discipline that investigates the properties and behavior of information, the forces governing the flow of information, and the means of processing information for optimum accessibility and usability. • It is concerned with that body of knowledge relating to the origination, collection, organization, storage, retrieval, interpretation, transmission, transformation, and utilization of information. • It is an interdisciplinary science derived from and related to such fields as mathematics, linguistics, psychology, computer science, the graphic arts, communications, library science, management, and other similar fields. • It has both a pure science component (theories and data on information properties and behaviors), and an applied science component, which develops services and products. • After H.Borko (1968)

2. What our graduates do • Librarians • Public, academic, special • Information architects • Usability and user experience analysts • Archivists • School media specialists • Preservation managers, • Conservators • Information officers, managers

3. Commonalities • Focus on the user • Without the human element, information is a meaningless concept • user and social advocacy • User-centered design • Information as a common need • Part of the information lifecycle • From creation, through use to preservation

4. Distinctions? • Emphasis on one or more stages of the lifecycle • E.g. archives or school media • Interest in technology • E.g. media design or conservation • Area of application • Business, academia, public sector

5. Major issues in information • Designing for usability and utility • Preservation in a digital age • Overcoming a digital divide • Improving accessibility • Education and role of information professionals • Information policy, literacy and privacy