The Information Society: A Study of Continuity and Change (4th ed.)

Citation

Paul, J. (2005), "The Information Society: A Study of Continuity and Change (4th ed.)", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 39 No. 2, pp. 173-175. https://doi.org/10.1108/00330330510595788

John Feather in his latest edition of The Information Society provides an excellent introduction to the key dimensions of transition to a global information society. The 4th edition, unlike the third provokes the reader to challenge assumptions rather than prescribes solutions. Feather understands the realities of technological change, but deeply questions the implications of such a dramatic change. He prefers to think of present developments as an extension of the past, but does argue that the augmented change can result in a different future unanticipated by participants of the information society. Information society in his definition is an “information‐dependent” society. Central to this change and continuity is the publishing industry where the focus on text and language has expanded to storage and communication of multimedia and moving images. He examines the historical, economic and political dimensions of this revolution but places a significant emphasis on the impact it has on the publishing arena. Prospects for the information profession are examined with a prediction of a fusion of roles for the profession.

Feather's introduction to the information society is a good starter for any information professional or student of library and information studies. He establishes the key dimensions of change from a historical perspective. His basic assumption is that the commoditisation of information began with the invention of printing and this was further revolutionised with the broadcasting technology and the internet. He highlighted how libraries continued to provide free information but was inevitably integrated into the value chain of information supply. He nevertheless provokes continuity in associating the alphabet with the computer where the flexibility and scalability to transfer information across time and space has taken on a new meaning and dimension.

Having established the historical facet of the revolution he scrutinises the economic dimension; he highlights fundamental changes in the perceived value of information. Digital data, unlike printed books, are ubiquitous and provided concurrent access but usher in a sense of impermanence as content has to be licensed rather than bought. He discusses in fair detail the complexity of the information business with the amalgamation of Times Warner, AOL, etc. The convergence of media has given information a new meaning and created a new form of ownership – digital property. Feather clearly conveys the divergence of different types and uses of information ranging from newspapers and tabloids to broadcasts and research information. He argues that they co‐exist rather than eliminate each other. This also raises the fundamental question of the public library and its civic role in the information society versus the evolving information environment. He perceived that this change is significant as librarians become buyers, re‐sellers and facilitators of information rather than providers. The revolution has given the library a greater social responsibility rather than an economic one. The economic dimension partly accelerated by technological determinism raised the issue of restricted and unequal access to information – who are the information rich and who are the information poor? Feather examines the intricate dimensions of the information divide as less developed societies were incapable of acquiring and managing the technological expertise and infrastructure required to provide online information access. Beyond the social and commercial imperative the right of access is a political question, hence the political dimension.

A broadly defined notion of information, ranging from health to tax information, means that the traditional divide between libraries, registries and archives becomes somewhat converged. In that context Feather goes to great lengths to discuss the role of the state in censorship and privacy laws, making historical comparisons. The issue of freedom of access to information is an interesting read as Feather tries to rationalise the reality and risks associated in providing free access to information. He concludes that the control of the flow of information is a new weapon against international terrorism and criminality. His solution is the librarian who needs to be the gatekeeper and the guide.

Feather leads the reader through the changes in the information profession and the consequent implications. The key issue is the relevance of the librarian in the larger context of the information profession, rather than in a distinct profession of its own. He argues that the librarian's custodial role in the temple of knowledge has become more service oriented and managerial in nature. He examines this impact on archivists and records managers who are now part of the global information revolution.

In spite of extensive and detailed evidence provided to support his conclusions, it is interesting that the book does not carry any bibliographic references or footnotes. Data on internet access statistics of some 277 million people accessing the internet, with half of those users in December 2003 from the USA, is hardly substantiated with documentary evidence. The edition carries four pages on further reading which is very useful for further study. It also has a simplified version of an index which helps readers to understand the applied vocabulary in information society language.

Feather's treatment of the information society is largely limited to the West with little or no emphasis on the Asian perspective, except in dealing with the information divide. The impact of the divide in terms of information ownership rather than purely in terms of access and provision lacks sufficient examination. The socio‐political context of the information disadvantaged countries warrants greater attention and Feather has not fully exploited the framework (historical, economic and political) to offer a systematic methodology of identifying variables in order for countries to thrive in the information age. Feather hardly examined the different approaches undertaken by global participants towards the realisation of national outcomes – the latter in itself is poorly defined. Initiatives undertaken by the open society movement do not merit any mention in this edition. The Chinese approach towards a “socialist” interpretation of the information society differs considerably from the West and could have been explored using his framework.

In summary, the major debates on issues pertinent to the information society were sufficiently dealt with in the context of the historical, economic and political dimensions. The random collection of ideas and propositions represented in the edition is also noteworthy. Although it lacks a theoretical basis for its predictions, Feather's insights are well appreciated. His articulation of the library as a concept rather than an entity is a reality that administrations are trying to comprehend. His assumption that information production has broadened beyond its traditional boundaries because of disaggregation and recombination of skills, combined with the convergence of information consumption across different domains, leads the argument to its natural conclusion that the next revolution would not be a technological one but one that transforms the profession. This explains his focus on the information profession in the last chapter which is the climax of the book.