Forewords

Information science and 21st century information practices: creatively engaging with information - Theresa Dirndorfer Anderson
The emerging discipline of information - Andrew Dillon
The scope of information science - Jonathan Furner
A fascinating field and a pragmatic enterprise - Birger Hjørland
A slippery and ubiquitous concept - Fidelia Ibekwe-SanJuan
The future of information science - Maja Žumer

1. What is information science? Disciplines and professions

Introduction
The nature of information science
What kind of discipline is information science?
Constituents and core
Other information disciplines
The uniqueness of information science
History of information science
Summary
Key readings
References

2. History of information: the story of documents

Introduction
Information ages?
Prehistory and the ancient world
The classical and medieval worlds
The age of print
The 19th century
The 20th century
Summary
Key readings
References

3. Philosophies and paradigms of information science

Introduction
Philosophy and the information sciences
Philosophical positions
Paradigms and turns
Philosophers and information science
Karl Popper and objective epistemology
Jesse Shera and social epistemology
Luciano floridi and the philosophy of information
Summary
Key readings
Philosophy resources
References

4. Basic concepts of information science

Introduction
Information and knowledge
Information: physical, biological, social
A mathematical theory of information, with a little semiotics
Information for information science
Knowledge for information science
Documents
Collections
Relevance and aboutness
Information use and users
Summary
Key readings
References

5. Domain analysis

Introduction
Domain analysis as a theory for information science
What is a domain?
Aspects of domain analysis
Practical value of domain analysis
Examples of domain analysis
Domain analysis and the subject specialist
Summary
Key readings
References

6. Information organization

Introduction
Controlled vocabulary and facet analysis
Terminologies
Metadata
Resource description and cataloguing
Ontologies
Systematic vocabularies: classification and taxonomy
Alphabetic vocabularies: subject headings and thesauri
Abstracting
Indexing and tagging
Summary
Key readings
References

7. Information technologies: creation, dissemination and retrieval

Introduction
What are information technologies?
Digital technologies
Networks
Mobile and pervasive
Software
Interacting with computers
Information systems, analysis, architecture and design
Applications
Summary
Key readings
References

8. Informetrics

Introduction
Historical development of informetrics
How much information is there?
The main informetric laws
Network theory
Applying informetrics
Summary
Key readings
References

9. Information behaviour

Introduction
What is information behaviour?
Origins and development of information behaviour studies
Theories and models
Methods for studying information behaviour
Information behaviour of groups
Individual information behaviour styles
Summary: so what do we know?
Key readings
References

10. Communicating information: changing contexts

Introduction
Communication frameworks
Changing information landscapes
Digitizing the world of print
Changing economic models
Open access and repositories
New forms of communication
New forms of research and scholarship
Information places and spaces
Summary
Key readings
References

11. Information society

Introduction
What is the information society?
Frameworks for information society
Information society infrastructures
Problems and divides within the information society
Summary
Key readings
References

12. Information management and policy

Introduction
Information management basics
Contexts of information management
Information governance and information risk
Information policies and strategies
Information auditing and mapping
Valuing information
Information for creativity and innovation
Summary
Key readings
References

13. Digital literacy

Introduction
Information and computer literacies
The information-literate person
The concept of digital literacy
A model for digital literacy
Importance of digital literacy
Promoting digital literacy
Summary
Key readings
References

14. Information science research: what and how?

Introduction
Styles of information research
General aspects of research methods
Research and the practitioner
Research methods for information science
Research methods – surveys
Research methods – experimenting, evaluating and observing
Research methods – desk research
Sampling
Information research ethics
Finding and evaluating research
Summary
Key readings
References

15. The future of the information sciences

Introduction
Predicting and prophesying
Drivers for change
What lies ahead for information professions and disciplines
Information research agendas
The future of information science
Summary
Key readings
References

Additional resources

Other textbooks
Journals
Abstracting and indexing services
Reference sources

About the Author

David Bawden is Professor of Information Science at City University London, editor of Journal of Documentation, and a council member of Aslib. He is author of over 150 books, chapters, papers and published presentations. Lyn Robinson is Senior Lecturer in Information Science, and Director of the Postgraduate Information Studies Scheme, at City University London. She is author of numerous papers and published presentations, and has written two books, including Facet's Understanding Healthcare Information.

Reviews

'I believe this book is the best introduction to information science available at present.' Birger Hjorland, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Copenhagen, Denmark 'I have no doubts that, for many years to come, this wonderful book will serve as one of the very best places for people to start to make a difference.' Jonathan Furner, Department of Information Studies, UCLA, USA

Beginning with a preface and six forewords by library and information science professionals, this is not a typical textbook! London-based authors Bawden (information science, City Univ. London; editor, Journal of Documentation) and Robinson (program director, library & information science, City Univ. London; Understanding Healthcare Information) have ably achieved their objective of introducing "the logic and language" of information science. The text begins with an epistemological exploration of what is (are) information science(s), and that question is woven throughout. More than one answer is explored, with a focus on the importance of people in any transfer of data, information, or knowledge. "Domain analysis" also permeates the text, with detailed explanations of this "realist approach" to the philosophy of information science in chapter five. While there are illustrative examples of current technologies, the authors' philosophical focus means they are not bogged down in contemporary minutiae; thus the useful life of the book is extended. This work is so different from Charles H. Davis and Debora Shaw's more technology-oriented Introduction to Information Science and Technology (2011) that both could be used in an introductory course. VERDICT Library and ischool faculty and students will find Bawden and Robinson's text intellectually stimulating and very worthwhile.-Sara R. Tompson, Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Table of Contents

About the Author

Reviews