Challenge and Change in the Information Society

Citation

Baxter, G. (2003), "Challenge and Change in the Information Society", Journal of Documentation, Vol. 59 No. 6, pp. 731-734. https://doi.org/10.1108/00220410310506330

As the international community prepares for the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, in Geneva in December 2003 (International Telecommunication Union, 2003), interest in the information society has perhaps never been greater. The appearance of Challenge and Change in the Information Society is, therefore, particularly timely. Intended as a textbook for students and researchers in library and information studies, and as a reference tool for the practitioner, the main aim of this volume is to encourage debate and discussion by providing a multi‐faceted view of today's information society. Consisting of 12 chapters from thirteen contributors, it is divided into four parts, each one covering a broad theme: theoretical perspectives; the societal effects of current developments; governmental and policy perspectives; and the impact of the information society on the role of the information professional.

In chapter 1, John Feather provides a brief overview of the key theoretical perspectives of the information society. Based on the ever‐increasing body of literature on the information society, he derives, and considers in turn, four broad models. The economic model, where information is regarded as a commodity, is examined first, with particular attention being paid to the work of the economists Machlup and Porat. In a discussion of the technological model, the question is raised as to whether technological change drives social change, or vice versa. The perspectives of theorists such as Castells and Bell are then considered in a discussion of the sociological model and the impact of new technologies on the way we live and work. Finally, he examines the historical model, where it is argued that civilized societies have always relied on the control, retrieval and dissemination of information.

This last point is developed in the next chapter, by Alistair Black, who embarks upon the “pursuit of continuities” to illustrate that the information society is the result of evolutionary development, rather than of revolutionary change. He argues that the information society is a continuation of industrialism, capitalism, the modern project, and a pattern of state surveillance that has its origins in the nineteenth century. Rejecting the utopian qualities of information, and of digital information and communication technologies (ICTs), he proposes an information society “secularism”.

Technological determinism and the “rose‐tinted Utopianism” of the information society are also dismissed by Dave Muddiman in chapter 3. He instead believes that a combination of postmodernism and neo‐Marxist theories of a restructured, “informational” capitalism – a postmodern capitalism – provides the most convincing explanation of contemporary societal trends. He suggests that the information profession will first have to dispel the ideological myths of the information society if it is ever to address the social inequalities that this postmodern capitalism brings.

In the initial chapter of part 2, Chris Batt provides an amusing vision of the future, based on the broadcast of a cinematic version of A Winter's Tale, and examines four key areas that will influence its attainment. He offers a triangle of indicative factors – content, connectivity and social capital – that might act as benchmarks for the progress of the information society, then moves on to examine some likely medium‐term technological trends. He discusses the UK Government's commitment to widespread access to and use of ICTs, and to the creation of a leading knowledge economy, before considering the social implications of such developments. He concludes by arguing that the most significant driver towards his vision, which he terms the “content society”, will be the extent, accessibility, quality, and relevance to the end‐user of the information offered by the available systems and networks.

The link between information literacy and the information society is then explored by Stephen Town, who believes that the former flows naturally from the demands of the latter. He contrasts the UK approach to information literacy with that of other English‐speaking countries (the USA, Australia and New Zealand), pointing out that a clear and accepted definition of information literacy is lacking in UK national policy. He goes on to discuss current work in the UK higher education sector, in particular the “seven pillars” model of information literacy developed by SCONUL (the Society of College, National and University Libraries, although Town neglects to explain the acronym), and concludes that, with national commitment and investment, this model might be applied more broadly.

In chapter 6, Ian Beeson considers how communities might use ICTs to resist submersion in a global information culture. Following an extensive discussion of the work of theorists such as Ricoeur, Bauman and Certeau, he describes a case study from the True Stories research project. Here, the St Paul's Carnival Association in Bristol (UK) used hypermedia technology to tell the story of the Carnival, an annual celebration of local Afro‐Caribbean culture. Based on the results of this study, Beeson believes that technology, used in an appropriate manner, has the potential to preserve and strengthen community groups by harnessing their imaginative capacity.

In the first chapter of part 3, Ian Rowlands considers the complex issue of information policy, pointing out that it consists of apparently disparate topics – ranging from intellectual property to computer crime – drawn together as a single but somewhat indistinct concept. He provides an illuminating model, constructed using a data mining technique, which seeks to assist the reader in thinking about the system of values that underpin information policy.

Knowledge management in UK government is explored by Margaret Haines and Paul Dunn in chapter 8. They discuss the changing face of the UK public sector – particularly recent modernizing policies, devolution, and the impact of ICTs – before outlining the present government knowledge‐management environment. Knowledge‐based initiatives currently being implemented throughout the National Health Service are then used to illustrate how UK public sector policy is moving towards a knowledge‐centric form. The authors conclude by considering how knowledge management might underpin responsive government, in terms of internal communications, communicating with the public, and contributing to the democratic process.

Graham Cornish begins part 4 by examining the complex relationships that exist within the triad of information‐related rights: intellectual property, freedom of expression and freedom of access. Particular attention is paid to copyright issues. The concept of intellectual property is outlined, as is the impact of ICTs and the ways in which copyright is neglected and abused. He then discusses ways in which abuse of copyright might be prevented, namely education (of both owners and users), licences, and electronic rights management systems. He concludes that, while conflicts may arise between the three rights, they are interdependent and essential to the development of an information society.

The legal theme is continued by Eric Davies, who explores personal data protection. Much of his contribution is devoted to a discussion of the UK Data Protection Act (1998). He details some of the key definitions within this legislation and summarises its general principles and exemptions. He explains the regulatory role of the Office of the Information Commissioner, as well as the consent and access rights of the individuals about whom data is held, and comes to the conclusion that the Act has, in general, operated successfully to date. Some useful if all too brief advice on data protection management in the organizational setting is also provided.

In the penultimate chapter, Claire Warwick discusses the effects of electronic publishing at the beginning of the twenty‐first century, comparing these with predictions made during the late 1980s and early 1990s, including the demise of the printed book. She contends that while some types of electronic publication, such as e‐journals and online reference tools, have proved successful, other forms, including e‐books and commercial e‐publications, have had little significant impact, largely because the needs of their potential users have been disregarded.

Peter Brophy completes the book by examining the changing role of the library and information professional in the information society. He introduces some definitions of a “profession”, discussing how these might be applied in the information sector, before considering the impact of technological change on a range of professional issues, including skills and training needs, professional accreditation, professional standards and ethical standards. In analysing the last of these issues he highlights possible tensions between professional and managerial responsibilities. He concludes that professionalism in many of these areas is, as yet, ill‐defined, thus presenting a challenging agenda for the twenty‐first century.

Each chapter is supported by extensive references, although only one author offers some suggested further reading. Unsurprisingly, given the fluid nature of the World Wide Web, a number of the uniform resource locators (URLs) presented in the text and in the references are no longer in existence. Several other URLs are incorrect, incomplete or presented inconsistently, and the book also contains a scattering of proof‐reading lapses.

Overall, however, Challenge and Change in the Information Society is a well‐presented volume, and the individual contributions are generally written in accessible styles. For anyone with an interest in information society issues, this is a useful and thought‐provoking work.