Librarianship, Documentation, and Information Science
Assigned Readings
In chapter 2, the focus is on information science. Information science is a multidisciplinary field that looks at information out of context and out of the package. The way information is package whether in book, periodical, or DVD is not the focus. The focus is on storing and retrieving information so it may be used at a later date. Rubin states that there are eleven major categories with librarianship being only one. He focuses on five areas that “directly affect librarianship”: “examination of information needs, information seeking, information use and information users”; “information storage and retrieval”; “defining the nature of information and its value”; “bibliometrics and citation analysis”; and “management and administrative issues”(Rubin, 2004).
Under “information seeking,” Rubin cites a study by Chen and Hernon that people prefer to get their information from another person. Rubin later states that information seeking is a “dynamic process” that evolves through six stages: “initiation, selection, exploration, formulation, collection, presentation” (Rubin, 2004). The second area is the study of how data is stored and how users retrieve data; the linchpin being the human computer interface. The easier it is use the dialog interface of the search engine or database the more likely the higher the user satisfaction with the search process. Third area is “defining the nature of information and its value” (Rubin, 2004). Rubin states there are “at least basic constructs: data, information and knowledge.” The fourth area of concern to librarianship is citation analysis and bibliometrics. Citation analysis is concerned with the “frequency and pattern” of citations within published materials. Bibliometrics is the statistical analysis of use patterns and information distribution among published periodicals. Finally, the last area of concern is with management and administrative decisions. It is the implantation of the libraries mission statement by management that will determine what tools will be available for the users (public).
Rubin concluded that “librarians can make good use of much of this research” and that they can “contribute to it”. The “central value” of the information science field is to “make information accessible and usable.”
As an aside, I wonder how much of our information will be lost to future generations. Formats change rapidly and not all data is converted (of course not every home movie needs preservation). Movies and books often show the future as a dystopia society with humankind reverting to a post industrial existence. Will the digital technology of today survive as well as the Sumerian clay tablets?
The final section of chapter 7 pertains to “the mission and future of the modern American library” (Rubin, 2004). Rubin states “libraries and librarians confront a host of destabilizing factors: the flood information, constant innovations in technology, economic and political demands and stresses, as well as numerous social problems.” There is so much information and culture change around us it is the library as community center, as information center, and as homework support center that provides the a stable place to work from. “The library helps us orient us economically, educationally, religiously, politically, and aesthetically to these cultures and environments.”
Rubin, R. E. (2004). Foundations of library and information science (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
“Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy: that the ordinary individual, by exercising critical judgment, will select the good and reject the bad. We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be ‘protected’ against what others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor Free Enterprise in ideas and expression” (ALA, 2000).
While reading the “The Freedom to Read Statement,” this paragraph in particular brought several things to mind. First, that “the ordinary individual” can “select the good and reject the bad” I believe that this also applies to children and young adults. This has come up in conversation with classmates and colleagues. That young people will seek out the types of reading material that they are emotional ready for. Yes, as librarians are job or life mission is to get the right book into the right hands. But we can only guide and suggest, the ultimate decision to read or not to read is the individuals choice.
I once had a library director who stated if you can’t find something in the library to offend you then we are not doing our jobs. Here she was making the point that as a library we must encompass a larger view than just our own comfort zone. The library is for a multifaceted community with a myriad of beliefs and viewpoints.
American Library Association. (2000). The freedom to read statement. Retrieved 5/29/2008.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Journal Entry 3
Why have societies created and maintained libraries?
Assigned Readings
This assignment pertains to the historical development of libraries. Rubin starts with libraries “need to have the society’s records readily accessible to the citizenry.” A society must meet three basic criteria for library development: centralization, economic growth, and political stability (Rubin, 2004).
One of the earliest libraries, “the Sumerian temple library”, was an archive of commercial records (Rubin, 2004). The temple was at the heart of the economic and social meetings; the library contained not only commerce records, but math texts, hymns and works on medicine. From Mesopotamia, Rubin travels through the Egyptian papyrus libraries. The Alexandrian Library had a mission to collect the entirety of Greek literature. With such a lofty goal, the collection development was extremely aggressive. This same aggressive collection policy would be repeated. During the Renaissance, it was quite fashionable to have a large personal library. These vanity libraries may have saved a number of texts. The collectors sent their “agents to locate and retrieve the manuscripts stored in the deteriorating monastic libraries”.
Then the printing press came on the scene and had a monumental impact. Before the printing press, books were written by hand and often prone to copy mistakes or intentional editing by the copier. Multiple copies of works could be completed quickly unlike the slow hand copy method. Because more books now existed on more subjects, more people learned to read.
In America, there were few libraries at in the beginning seventeenth century. Colonies were founded thus meeting the first requirement of centralization; however, society was struggling to succeed. There was little room for leisure and study. Eventually, small parish libraries were established and a few private libraries were found in “homes of ministers, doctors and other prominent citizens” (Rubin, 2004). As with Europe, the industrial revolution led to the emergence of both the social and the circulating libraries. The main difference between the two types of libraries is that social library a fee was paid for collection development and maintenance (non-profit); whereas, in the circulating library a fee was paid to rent the book (for-profit). The next two monumental developments in American libraries were the Morrill Land Grant Act and Andrew Carnegie. “The federal government recognized that it could play an important role by providing grants of land to states for educational purposes.” This allowed for the development of higher education and the establishment of schools such as Ohio State University and University of Illinois. Next the largesse of Andrew Carnegie provided funds to build over 2,000 libraries. Carnegie was not concerned with the contents of the buildings that was a community decision. He provided a stable location for the collection.
Society has needed libraries to collect, store and retrieve records it produces. The earliest libraries were the hub of economic record keeping, because they were located within temples naturally religious text were also stored. Libraries have been for personal edification whether emperors, kings or the well-to-do. Libraries have been established for the good of society; although what society is in question in some of the revisionist slants.
Rubin, R. E. (2004). Foundations of library and information science. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
This article traces the developed of the libraries in the Britain. Specifically, Sturges explores how they are fundamentally different then the national libraries of Western Europe. The Leeds Library is used as a case study for library development.
Sturges, P. (2003). Great city libraries of Britain: their history from a European perspective. Library History, 19, 93-111.
Supplemental Reading
This article addresses the future of the library specifically the future of the Denver Public Library. Libraries have been evolving with the addition of “subscription databases”, and online encyclopedias (Jeske, 2006). There are new items to be incorporated into the library downloadable books, streaming music, and downloadable movies. Jeske writes that the world is shifting from the traditional patron who is “wary of technology” to “a society of digital immigrants”. With all the technology and information available, it is easy for those who are wary to become overwhelmed with the choices. “Few customers find joy in searching; for most, the joy is in finding” (Jeske, 2006). Jeske further states that most “customers do not understand” the terms used by libraries “to describe databases and other electronic resources.” Librarians are the searchers; the experts in retrieving information. Lastly, the library must consider the needs of all the patrons; providing the materials, instruction, and support that each requires without prejudice toward one individual or group’s needs.
Jeske, M. (2006). Who knows what the future will bring? Get prepared! Colorado Libraries, 32 (2), 14-18.
Assigned Readings
This assignment pertains to the historical development of libraries. Rubin starts with libraries “need to have the society’s records readily accessible to the citizenry.” A society must meet three basic criteria for library development: centralization, economic growth, and political stability (Rubin, 2004).
One of the earliest libraries, “the Sumerian temple library”, was an archive of commercial records (Rubin, 2004). The temple was at the heart of the economic and social meetings; the library contained not only commerce records, but math texts, hymns and works on medicine. From Mesopotamia, Rubin travels through the Egyptian papyrus libraries. The Alexandrian Library had a mission to collect the entirety of Greek literature. With such a lofty goal, the collection development was extremely aggressive. This same aggressive collection policy would be repeated. During the Renaissance, it was quite fashionable to have a large personal library. These vanity libraries may have saved a number of texts. The collectors sent their “agents to locate and retrieve the manuscripts stored in the deteriorating monastic libraries”.
Then the printing press came on the scene and had a monumental impact. Before the printing press, books were written by hand and often prone to copy mistakes or intentional editing by the copier. Multiple copies of works could be completed quickly unlike the slow hand copy method. Because more books now existed on more subjects, more people learned to read.
In America, there were few libraries at in the beginning seventeenth century. Colonies were founded thus meeting the first requirement of centralization; however, society was struggling to succeed. There was little room for leisure and study. Eventually, small parish libraries were established and a few private libraries were found in “homes of ministers, doctors and other prominent citizens” (Rubin, 2004). As with Europe, the industrial revolution led to the emergence of both the social and the circulating libraries. The main difference between the two types of libraries is that social library a fee was paid for collection development and maintenance (non-profit); whereas, in the circulating library a fee was paid to rent the book (for-profit). The next two monumental developments in American libraries were the Morrill Land Grant Act and Andrew Carnegie. “The federal government recognized that it could play an important role by providing grants of land to states for educational purposes.” This allowed for the development of higher education and the establishment of schools such as Ohio State University and University of Illinois. Next the largesse of Andrew Carnegie provided funds to build over 2,000 libraries. Carnegie was not concerned with the contents of the buildings that was a community decision. He provided a stable location for the collection.
Society has needed libraries to collect, store and retrieve records it produces. The earliest libraries were the hub of economic record keeping, because they were located within temples naturally religious text were also stored. Libraries have been for personal edification whether emperors, kings or the well-to-do. Libraries have been established for the good of society; although what society is in question in some of the revisionist slants.
Rubin, R. E. (2004). Foundations of library and information science. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
This article traces the developed of the libraries in the Britain. Specifically, Sturges explores how they are fundamentally different then the national libraries of Western Europe. The Leeds Library is used as a case study for library development.
Sturges, P. (2003). Great city libraries of Britain: their history from a European perspective. Library History, 19, 93-111.
Supplemental Reading
This article addresses the future of the library specifically the future of the Denver Public Library. Libraries have been evolving with the addition of “subscription databases”, and online encyclopedias (Jeske, 2006). There are new items to be incorporated into the library downloadable books, streaming music, and downloadable movies. Jeske writes that the world is shifting from the traditional patron who is “wary of technology” to “a society of digital immigrants”. With all the technology and information available, it is easy for those who are wary to become overwhelmed with the choices. “Few customers find joy in searching; for most, the joy is in finding” (Jeske, 2006). Jeske further states that most “customers do not understand” the terms used by libraries “to describe databases and other electronic resources.” Librarians are the searchers; the experts in retrieving information. Lastly, the library must consider the needs of all the patrons; providing the materials, instruction, and support that each requires without prejudice toward one individual or group’s needs.
Jeske, M. (2006). Who knows what the future will bring? Get prepared! Colorado Libraries, 32 (2), 14-18.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Journal Entry 2
Reading assignments
Chapter 1
Rubin writes of the traditional way that information use to be produced: creator (author, artist), distributor (publisher, vendor) and disseminator (library, museums). The internet has turned this system on its head. Authors, artists can now publish or release directly to the internet thus circumventing the distributor and also the disseminators. However, with the volume of data on the World Wide Web (WWW), without formal distribution through publishers the difficulty of locating these materials increases.
Rubin examines the “information infrastructure in the United States.” Although broadcast television viewing is down, overall television consumption is up due to satellite and cable networks. Internet consumption has also increased whereas print materials (newspaper, book and magazines) use has declined. What I found most interesting is the persistence of the “digital divide.” The amount of internet use correlates to the amount of income. Furthermore, use also appears to be ethnicity divided with Caucasians and Asian Americans using the internet far more than either African Americans or Hispanics. These who do not use the internet tend to be “low income with low levels of formal education and who are either African American or Hispanic.”
In this age of television, radio, video and the internet, consumers of information “are developing new expectations in the digital environment” (Rubin, 2004). With these raised expectations is desire to be self-sufficient and the “seamless” integration of the various technologies.
Rubin, R. (2004). Foundations of library and information science. New York:
Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
JASIS trilogy assignment
“Information science is the study of the gathering, organizing, storing, retrieving, and dissemination of information” (Bates, 1999). Information does not deal with the content of the material, but with gathering cataloguing and retrieval of the materials. The domain of information science is all the recorded information that is selected and retained. This science is about structure of systems and organization of the data not the actual content of the material.
“Researching information- whether you are indexing of formulating a search strategy or helping someone articulate what they find – is different from knowing the information” (Bates, 1999). In other words, librarians or information scientists do not need to have great knowledge on all matters. They just need to know how to distill the question to its true essence and from there the most efficient way to retrieve the information sought.
Bates, M. (1999). The invisible substrate of information science. Journal of American society for information science. 50(12), 1043-1050.
This essay addresses problems that the author believes exist in information science. Saracevic states that “information science has three characteristics” that are the dominant themes “of its evolution and existence” (Saracevic, 1999). These characteristics included the interdisciplinary nature of information science, its connection to technology and the “strong social and human dimension.” The structure of information science falls into two main camps: the domain or basic research and the applied or user studies. He goes on to write the close kinship between librarianship and computer science to information science. Saracevic expresses concern almost disappointment that more hasn’t been done to forge these two camps. Furthermore, he sees a continuing disconnect of information science from the human user.
Saracevic, T. (1999). Information Science. Journal of the American society of information science, 50(12), 1051-1063.
This article provides a historical perspective on the development of the information science field. The author writes of how the field developed “out of practical application, especially industrial ones” (Windsor, 1999). Initially, pharmaceutical companies would have libraries and librarians in-house. It was discovered that librarians without the industrial background were not able to satisfactorily perform their job. Eventually, scientist would train as librarians and thus become “information scientists.” The author goes on the write that as formal degrees were conferred by universities in the information sciences the nature of JASIS changed. The articles began to have a more theoretical and a less applied slant. He believes that a portion of JASIS must remain available to lay reader.
Windsor, D. A. (1999). Industrial Roots of Information Science. Journal of American society for information science, 50(12), 1064-1065.
Final Thought
I find it odd that in the evolution of information science that librarians were found wanting as they did not have a science background. In the Bates article above, the librarian or information scientist does not need to understand the content of the article, book, or other material. The information professional just needs to understand what information is being sought and how to retrieve it. The disconnection found in these two articles is perhaps what Saracevic is really lamenting.
Chapter 1
Rubin writes of the traditional way that information use to be produced: creator (author, artist), distributor (publisher, vendor) and disseminator (library, museums). The internet has turned this system on its head. Authors, artists can now publish or release directly to the internet thus circumventing the distributor and also the disseminators. However, with the volume of data on the World Wide Web (WWW), without formal distribution through publishers the difficulty of locating these materials increases.
Rubin examines the “information infrastructure in the United States.” Although broadcast television viewing is down, overall television consumption is up due to satellite and cable networks. Internet consumption has also increased whereas print materials (newspaper, book and magazines) use has declined. What I found most interesting is the persistence of the “digital divide.” The amount of internet use correlates to the amount of income. Furthermore, use also appears to be ethnicity divided with Caucasians and Asian Americans using the internet far more than either African Americans or Hispanics. These who do not use the internet tend to be “low income with low levels of formal education and who are either African American or Hispanic.”
In this age of television, radio, video and the internet, consumers of information “are developing new expectations in the digital environment” (Rubin, 2004). With these raised expectations is desire to be self-sufficient and the “seamless” integration of the various technologies.
Rubin, R. (2004). Foundations of library and information science. New York:
Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
JASIS trilogy assignment
“Information science is the study of the gathering, organizing, storing, retrieving, and dissemination of information” (Bates, 1999). Information does not deal with the content of the material, but with gathering cataloguing and retrieval of the materials. The domain of information science is all the recorded information that is selected and retained. This science is about structure of systems and organization of the data not the actual content of the material.
“Researching information- whether you are indexing of formulating a search strategy or helping someone articulate what they find – is different from knowing the information” (Bates, 1999). In other words, librarians or information scientists do not need to have great knowledge on all matters. They just need to know how to distill the question to its true essence and from there the most efficient way to retrieve the information sought.
Bates, M. (1999). The invisible substrate of information science. Journal of American society for information science. 50(12), 1043-1050.
This essay addresses problems that the author believes exist in information science. Saracevic states that “information science has three characteristics” that are the dominant themes “of its evolution and existence” (Saracevic, 1999). These characteristics included the interdisciplinary nature of information science, its connection to technology and the “strong social and human dimension.” The structure of information science falls into two main camps: the domain or basic research and the applied or user studies. He goes on to write the close kinship between librarianship and computer science to information science. Saracevic expresses concern almost disappointment that more hasn’t been done to forge these two camps. Furthermore, he sees a continuing disconnect of information science from the human user.
Saracevic, T. (1999). Information Science. Journal of the American society of information science, 50(12), 1051-1063.
This article provides a historical perspective on the development of the information science field. The author writes of how the field developed “out of practical application, especially industrial ones” (Windsor, 1999). Initially, pharmaceutical companies would have libraries and librarians in-house. It was discovered that librarians without the industrial background were not able to satisfactorily perform their job. Eventually, scientist would train as librarians and thus become “information scientists.” The author goes on the write that as formal degrees were conferred by universities in the information sciences the nature of JASIS changed. The articles began to have a more theoretical and a less applied slant. He believes that a portion of JASIS must remain available to lay reader.
Windsor, D. A. (1999). Industrial Roots of Information Science. Journal of American society for information science, 50(12), 1064-1065.
Final Thought
I find it odd that in the evolution of information science that librarians were found wanting as they did not have a science background. In the Bates article above, the librarian or information scientist does not need to understand the content of the article, book, or other material. The information professional just needs to understand what information is being sought and how to retrieve it. The disconnection found in these two articles is perhaps what Saracevic is really lamenting.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Journal Entry 1
Video assignment
Randy Paush begins his lecture with a few CAT scans thus introducing the elephant in the room. He quickly moves onto his childhood dreams; it is an impressive list especially the giant stuffed animals. He speaks of brick walls and how most people let them stop them. The truly determined and creative people find a way to overcome this obstacle.
This term I plan on finding a way to overcome the brick wall before me. Maybe I will be thrown a line, maybe I will find a handhold, or maybe just maybe I will find that the wall isn't nearly so high and I step over it. Some final thoughts form Randy Paush's lecture that I will keep near at hand: "anybody can get chewed on"; "show gratitude"; "don't complain, just work harder"; "be good at something"; "work hard"; "find the best in everyone"; "and be prepared." As I have all ready learned over the last year, luck happens "where preparation meets opportunity."
Paush, R. (2007). Last lecture: really achieving your childhood dreams. Carnegie Mellon University. Given September 18, 2007.
In class reading
Michael Gorman begins the introduction with a reflection on Middlemarch. The 1820s were a time for change in England: "superstition was giving way to science" and "hand implements for factories and machinery"(Gorman, 2003). He writes next of World War I as the next defining moment - the break "between the Victorian age and modern times." He marches on through time to our current age with its fear of "unknown future changes." We are now in the information age. The advent of microfilm, videotapes, DVD, and the internet have changed the library into "resource centers." There are now virtual libraries on the internet that provide all the traditional programming of homework help, reader advisory, and reference questions; moreover, these internet libraries allow the patrons to actively shape the programs and create new ones (Czarnecki, 2007). The part of Gorman's introduction that struck the strongest chord is "belief's that's one own time is unique is a hindrance to clear thinking." It is difficult to see tomorrow. Technology is changing or being upgraded at faster and faster rates. How best to incorporate technology into one's own time and allow room for further growth is one of the many challenges librarians face today.
Czarneck, K. & Gullet, M. (2007). Meet the new you: In teen second life, librarians can leap tall building in a single bound and save kids from boring assignments--all before lunch. School Library Journal, 53(1), 36-39.
Gorman, M. (2003). The enduring librarian: technology, tradition and the quest for balance. American Library Association: Chicago, IL.
Text assignment
Chapter 6 of the textbooks covers issues and techniques of information organization. "Information has an entropic character: it does not organize itself, rather, it has a tendency toward randomness" (Rubin, 2004). Rubin further writes that "existing in its unorganized state, it is, for all intents and purposes, impossible to access except by accident."
This point is well illustrated in The People of Sparks (a novel). To summarize, it is two hundred years since the Disaster (a combination of war followed by multiple waves of disease) and the survivors currently live in a preindustrial state. One group of survivors lived in city underground (Ember) and finally make their way to the surface and to the town of Sparks. One young boy walks into a large building that the town people have been using as a warehouse and finds piles of books haphazardly on the shelves. The books are dusty, but he grabs a few random books to satisfy his thirst for knowledge. Sparks doesn't have a librarian, but the city of Ember did. The Ember librarian sets about organizing the books "millimeters" at a time. He sets aside books that might be useful to the boy. A book on electricity is found. A magnet is found the rubble of an old house; other bits and pieces are savaged. Finally, a gift of intact light bulbs comes from a roamer. Electricity is rediscovered.
How much more information was lost because the books that survived were unorganized and unused? Could the townspeople of Sparks have achieved prosperity sooner with the aid of a librarian? Without a librarian to organize and retrieve the commodity of information, the town people constantly struggled and had to reinvent things.
Returning to the text, chapter 6 outlines the various ways to organize information: systems such as Dewey and Library of Congress; bibliographies, indexes, and abstracts; electronic organization fields (MARC); and the internet. The goal of all this organization is one thing: retrieval. Without being able to retrieve information, it is lost whether due to disaster, careless cataloging or broken links. Librarians are many things including information retrieval specialists.
DuPrau, J. (2204). The people of sparks. Yearling: New York.
Rubin, R. (2004). Foundations of library and information science. Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.: New York.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
LS 504 The Beginning
This is my first blog. Today I have joined facebook, messed with igoogle, and set up a blog. This is all a little overwhelming. Technology has marched right past me and I am running to catch up.
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