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Relies on critical theories of technology and democratic disclosure to construct normative communication principles for the development of the national information infrastructure. Suggests that efforts to privatize the information highway, which are currently underway, undermine the network′s long‐range potential to encourage citizen‐to‐citizen discussion of public issues.

Critically examines claims for the use of information and communication technologies for the easy availability of information and so for the improvement of citizen participation in democratic processes. Examines the quality as opposed to the quantity of information available and discusses the nature of the information infrastructure as envisioned in the New Library: The People’s Network report against the historical reality of the failure of established systems to fulfill their potential and the characteristics of the present information environment. Considers attacks on the established public library system and discusses the nature of official information as embodied in official statistics. Examines the commercialisation of broadcasting, the decline of public service broadcasting and the failure of radio and television to develop in private hands into vehicles for mass education, concluding that where quality of content is paramount for information purposes over techniques of presentation, the claims for technological solutions for the information age are overstated.

Copyright Clouds Multimedia Prospects. Imagine a computer program that gives a fire department an edge in dealing with hazardous spills, toxic materials threatening life and property — where a quick and accurate response literally has consequences for thousands. This program stores information on thousands of chemicals from manuals and technical treatises. By selecting an icon of a map, an entire city comes up on the screen with details on the locations of schools, hospitals, and businesses. With another click of a mouse, the program calculates the direction of the plume from a leak and provides clues to arrest the accident and move citizens out of harm's way.

International New copyright provisions for digital transmission. Two new treaties relating to copyright in digital transmissions have been agreed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation's (WIPO) Diplomatic Conference. WIPO is a UN agency with a membership of 159 states.

This paper considers the impact of the emerging “information society” on the education and development of information professionals, particularly in the area of management. It identifies those features of the “information society” which are significant for teaching and learning: the new information and communication technologies; users’ growing expectations of information services; the changing job market; and convergence in the information sector. It outlines some steps which schools of library and information sciences in the UK have taken to respond to the challenges presented by the new environment: revising the existing curriculum and teaching methods; expanding the range of curricula; and improved support for continuing professional development. It describes some obstacles to progress: particularly the lack of research into the value of information; isolation from other disciplines, such as political science; potential challenges from business schools; and the shortcomings of current distance learning provision.Introduction

Presents CLEAR, which stands for “community learning empowerment and resources”, a project led by the City of Bath College (UK) as a global consortium of interested groups in Austria, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Romania, Thailand, and the USA. Discusses the exploitation of advances in information and communications technology (ICT) to improve the quality, scale, diversity and economy of access to education and training as a fundamental contribution to sustaining and regenerating the economic and cultural lives of the localities involved. It forms 9 community learning utilities which exploit new ICT to create widespread, affordable access to education and training resources using virtual educational mobility (VEM) for all who wish to learn, including those whose access is presently disadvantaged by their condition. Addresses the problems for project management of a telematic world of unavoidably very short time horizons.