Page 18 - DLIS102_LIBRARY_AND_ITS_USERS

Unit 2: Library Information

2.1 Definition and its Nature Notes

Information science is an interdisciplinary science primarily concerned with the analysis,
collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information.
Practitioners within the field study the application and usage of knowledge in organizations, along
with the interaction between people, organizations and any existing information systems, with the
aim of creating, replacing, improving or understanding information systems. Information science is
often (mistakenly) considered a branch of computer science. However, it is actually a broad,
interdisciplinary field, incorporating not only aspects of computer science, but often diverse fields such
as archival science, cognitive science, commerce, communications, law, library science, musicology,
management, mathematics, philosophy, public policy, and the social sciences.
Information science focuses on understanding problems from the perspective of the stakeholders
involved and then applying information and other technologies as needed. In other words, it tackles
systemic problems first rather than individual pieces of technology within that system. In this respect,
information science can be seen as a response to technological determinism, the belief that technology
“develops by its own laws, that it realizes its own potential, limited only by the material resources
available, and must therefore be regarded as an autonomous system controlling and ultimately
permeating all other subsystems of society.” Within information science, attention has been given
in recent years to human–computer interaction, groupware, the semantic web, value sensitive
design, iterative design processes and to the ways people generate, use and find information. Today
this field is called the Field of Information, and there are a growing number of Schools and Colleges
of Information.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
1. ...... is the collection and management of information from one or more sources.
2. ...... is an interdisciplinary science primarily concerned with the analysis, collection,
classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information.

2.2 Categories of Information Users

The users are one type but libraries are different from those of another type. In a public library the
users are mainly children, student’s, housewives, farmers, retired persons, literates and even also
researches. In an academic library the users are students, teachers and researchers, whereas as special
groups of users of whom the library is intended. From what is stated above it can be assumed that
in the public libraries the users are almost heterogeneous and in academic and special libraries the
users are almost homogeneous in nature.

For an effective information service as an information manager, he should ascertain
about the information requirements of his library users.
Information users can be categorized mainly into 4 groups, on the basis of their approach to
information a libraries, they are:
(i) Potential user: One who needs information which can be provided by specific services.
(ii) The expected user: One who is known to have the intention of using certain information
services.

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