The Internet and the Changing Information Environment

Citation

Meaden, K. (2001), "The Internet and the Changing Information Environment", New Library World, Vol. 102 No. 10, pp. 409-412. https://doi.org/10.1108/nlw.2001.102.10.409.2

Who is using the Internet and what are they using it for? What are its problems and benefits? What are users’ perceptions of it? How could/has the Internet affected the information landscape as a whole? If you have ever wondered about any of these issues then this is the report for you. Based on extensive research within the media industry, it examines the growth, nature and use of the Internet as an information source.

The report is structured into three main sections. The chapter on the size and growth of the Internet provides hard statistics on the number of hosts, Web sites/pages, users, volume of use and demographic factors. The second, and largest, chapter considers the main features of the medium – such as seamlessness, currency and global reach – discussing their accuracy and the benefits and disadvantages of each, challenging users’ perceptions with reality. Finally, there is a chapter on the impact of Internet use on society with commentary on the factors influencing its use, information overload and its displacement of traditional information services, again testing myths and looking at the real world situation.

Throughout the report, the authors cite research carried out by other bodies as well as their own to provide a well‐rounded picture of the current information landscape and the discursive nature of the text results in the drawing of reasonable conclusions. There are no dramatic proclamations of the death of traditional media or of the information professional. Instead, there is a considered prediction of the ways in which the Internet can continue to grow in the future in the light of digital mobile phones and complement (without replacing) other established information sources.

The report is of great interest to any information professional who is heavily involved in using the Internet, teaching others to use it or who provides information or services via the Internet. The discussions it contains are both insightful and thought‐provoking, challenging some of the myths that have sprung up surrounding the medium. However, as the majority of the research conducted for this report focuses on its use within the media industry, the practical applications may be limited for the majority of the readership.