Promise,Perils, and Planning

Summary

The promising future of new and better information services supported by the use of information technologies is well documented. Many journal articles describe successful experiences with better reference and instructional services, new services to new kinds of students who are engaged in distant independent learning or other non-traditional education, and better communication with library users. However, there are many perils on the way to delivering such improvements with the use of new finding tools, new software, new printing systems, and new telecommunication networks. An administrative overview of the sorts of planning which can smooth the implementation of information technology-based reference and instructional services outlines options for staffing, troubleshooting, fund raising, and budget development. Planning takes time and effort, collaboration and creativity. With appropriate emphasis on planning, the promise of implementing improvements in quality of services through information technologies can and should become a reality.     

From Atoms to Bits: Consequences of the Emerging Digital Divide in India

This paper focuses on the impact of ICTs, the Internet, and the Web on the life and work of people and mentions new services available through the convergence of computer and communication technologies. Also discussed are “digital determinism” in general and India's growing “digital divide” in particular. The paper discusses the promises and perils of the digital revolution. Comments are made on the library and information infrastructure, superstructure, and digitization initiatives in India. The paper concludes with the observation that only a suitable national policy for library and information systems can contain the emerging “digital divide” in India. Otherwise, networked information and library networks will have no meaning for the 47·79% Indians who are totally illiterate.     

Outline of an introductory course in international and comparative librarianship

This paper focuses on the impact of ICTs, the Internet, and the Web on the life and work of people and mentions new services available through the convergence of computer and communication technologies. Also discussed are “digital determinism” in general and India's growing “digital divide” in particular. The paper discusses the promises and perils of the digital revolution. Comments are made on the library and information infrastructure, superstructure, and digitization initiatives in India. The paper concludes with the observation that only a suitable national policy for library and information systems can contain the emerging “digital divide” in India. Otherwise, networked information and library networks will have no meaning for the 47·79% Indians who are totally illiterate.     

The orders of documents, the orders of activity, and the orders of information

The invention of literacy was also the invention of written information. Humanly usable information has been (and will likely continue to be for the foreseeable future) tied to human documents. Any order we impose on or find in information is closely tied to human uses that give rise to it or for which it is repurposed, and those orders are expressed in the documentary genres that mediate human communicative action within social activity systems. These social forms of genres and activity systems shape our consciousnesses, cognitive capacities, social identities, and potentials for action. Making sense of a single claim, sentence, or even datum requires an understanding of what kind of text it appears in, engaged in what sort of inquiry using what methods, and where it stands within the evolving intertextual discussion of the field. Sense making requires integrity of the text and visibility of the provenance and socio-historic dynamic from which it arises. Even as the processes of communication have been less tied to immediate social circumstances, they have fostered new kinds of social relations and communicative circumstances that maintain their social character and functionality. As we convert older technologies of information storage based on the physical texts, to digital technologies that can readily draw together heterogeneous pieces from more heterogeneous circumstances, the user ultimately must make sense of the information, and the technologies will need to find ways to support that sense making.     

农民社会网络及其对信息交流的影响

社会网络是农民交流和获取信息的主要渠道,也对农民的信息交流和获取有深刻的影响。通过问卷调查660位农民的社会网络及其对不同涉农信息的传播发现,基于讨论关系的农民社会网络表现出强连带、高趋同性、低异质性的特点;这种网络特征使农民与外界的信息交流受到局限;受教育水平和收入水平的差别经由社会网络转化成信息交流的差别与分化。由此看来,农民的社会网络虽然是交流信息的主要渠道,但其改变农民所处的信息格局的能力十分微弱,而且有可能加剧农民与其他人群以及不同教育水平和收入水平的农民之间的信息分化。     

Wired broadband access to modern communication networks (Overview)

The current state of the market for broadband access (BBA) to modern communication networks and the development of broadband technologies in Russia are considered. The actual share of broadband products in the Russian telecommunication market and the social importance of the technology for the country are analyzed, as well as the necessity of its development to implement the E-government project. The broadband channel capacity that is necessary to promote new communications solutions is assessed. The technology basis of wired broadband (digital subscriber lines, local area networks, fiber lines, and their combinations) is considered. An attempt to foresee the developmental prospects of this technology is made.     

An analysis of the impact of information and communication technology on the structure of scientific and technical information in Russia

This paper reviews the existing interpretations of the scientific and technical information (STI) concept and shows their limitations. A new definition of the term is introduced. The main STI indicators are explored and the STI authorship is investigated. The goals and methods of STI development management are analyzed. The impact of the evolving information and communication technologies on the structure of STI developed in Russia is studied. Technologies that underpin the development of STI are investigated. Various approaches to protection of intellectual property rights and information security in the process of information development are investigated.     

To talk or not to talk? From Telkom to Hellkom: A critical reflection on the current telecommunication policy in South Africa from a social justice perspective

With the development of new information and communication technologies, the right to communicate assumes new dimensions, since it is almost impossible to fully participate in the globalized world without access to modern information and communication technologies. South Africa held its first democratic elections in 1994 and has subsequently returned to the international arena. Its citizens should rightly expect to be able to participate in all that this return offers, not only politically, but also economically and socially. Telecommunications are vital to making such participation possible. In recognition of this fact, the newly elected government developed policies and enacted legislation to ensure that the telecommunications sector, and specifically the sole fixed line service provider Telkom, provides South African citizens affordable access to the telecommunications infrastructure whilst providing acceptable levels of service. However, rather than meeting its obligation to the government and the people of South Africa, Telkom has misused its monopoly. The social injustice that this situation creates is critically examined against the background of the right to communicate based on Rawls' principles of social justice and Sen's capability approach.     

Reevaluating “The End of Mass Communication?”

It is hard to imagine a more challenging arena for communication research than that presented by new media and their impact on our society. We have witnessed the fastest evolution in communication technology in human history and, along with it, the evolution of communication conceptions and theories used to assess its impact. More than a decade has passed since Chaffee and Metzger first published their intriguing article “The End of Mass Communication?” and suggested that the new media will change the notions of mass communication and, as a result, the theories used in communication research. Today, we know more about new media and its effect on communication, society, and communication theories. The present article, therefore, sets out to reassess Chaffee and Metzger's claim by describing the development of several core theories of communication research, namely the agenda-setting theory and the notions of media audiences and the Digital Divide, in light of the new media. Our review shows that the role played by communication technologies in social, cultural, political, and economic processes is as central and influential in the new media era as it was in traditional media environment and that, although theories may change to accommodate the changes of the new media environment, researchers are still dealing with the “old” issues of power and resistance, and structure and ownership.     

Foreword

With the development of new information and communication technologies, the right to communicate assumes new dimensions, since it is almost impossible to fully participate in the globalized world without access to modern information and communication technologies. South Africa held its first democratic elections in 1994 and has subsequently returned to the international arena. Its citizens should rightly expect to be able to participate in all that this return offers, not only politically, but also economically and socially. Telecommunications are vital to making such participation possible. In recognition of this fact, the newly elected government developed policies and enacted legislation to ensure that the telecommunications sector, and specifically the sole fixed line service provider Telkom, provides South African citizens affordable access to the telecommunications infrastructure whilst providing acceptable levels of service. However, rather than meeting its obligation to the government and the people of South Africa, Telkom has misused its monopoly. The social injustice that this situation creates is critically examined against the background of the right to communicate based on Rawls' principles of social justice and Sen's capability approach.     

数字图书馆历史地位刍议

本文对世纪之交出现的数字图书馆的历史地位进行了尝试性分析。数字图书馆的技术基础是计算机，数字文献的出现是文献介质继纸的发明后出现的又一次革命，而网络化使文献传递在形态、方式、范围上都有了质的突破，文章最后从发挥图书馆“保存”和“传播”文献的职能出发对数字技术解决当前图书馆存在的问题谈了一些看法。     

The cocial construction of mobile telephony: an application of the social influence model to perceptions and uses of mobile phones within personal communication networks

The purpose of this study was to test the argument that perceptions and uses of mobile phones are socially constructed in close personal networks. The study hypothesized that, through collective sense making, perceptions and uses of mobile phones would be more similar within 45 personal communication networks than for the entire sample of 194 individuals. Findings from a self-report survey reveal that several factors were significantly more similar within the networks than for individuals throughout the sample, including perceptions of the handset as a means of display, use for safety and security, attitudes about use in public, microcoordination, hypercoordination, and comfort with technology. Interviews were conducted to explore how perceptions and uses were shaped through relationships and interactions situated in social context. The interview data illuminate how social interaction contributed to perceptions and uses in four key areas: mobile phone adoption, attitudes about products and services, perceptions of non-normative use, and collective use. Results of the study serve as evidence supporting the argument that perceptions and uses of communication technologies are, at least in part, constructed socially among close personal contacts. This study demonstrates why it is important for researchers to consider social contacts and social contexts when examining the implications of communication technologies.     

Urban information integration for advanced e-Planning in Europe

Urban planning is a complex task requiring multidimensional urban information (spatial, social, economic, etc.). The need for assistance in performing urban planning tasks has led to the rapid development of urban information systems, especially “e-Planning” systems, with the support of government policy and emerging information and communication technologies (ICT). In order to enhance the capability of e-Planning and to facilitate 3D visualization and rich analysis of complex city problems, it is very important to allow information from the various sources to be shared and integrated. This paper focuses on technical approaches for multidimensional information integration, especially spatial information integration. In particular it describes the Building Data Integration System (BDIS), developed as part of the IntelCities project, which demonstrates the type of multidimensional systems that are likely to be used in future urban information systems. Functionally, the BDIS demonstrates the feasibility of systems to support the multinational collaboration of construction professionals in the procurement and renovation of buildings. For such systems to be accepted in the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe, they need to be developed with regard to current planning information structures and standards in the UK and Europe which are reviewed in this paper. The achievements and further development of multidimensional information integration through the use of innovative urban data modelling techniques are discussed.     

新媒体环境下的公共档案馆信息服务研究

作为社会公共文化重要组成部分,公共档案馆更应该顺应现代新媒体技术发展要求,做好两者融合,发挥其社会公共文化服务功能,展现信息服务优势。本文分析了新媒体环境下的公共档案馆信息服务的网站、微博、微信公众号、档案科普栏目等具体形式,针对新媒体环境下的公共档案馆信息服务中存在的信息资源利用不足、数据资源整合和共享不足、新媒体技术应用层次不高等问题,提出了要把馆藏资源和新媒体技术在信息服务中进行有效融合、建立和完善数字档案资源的整合和分享机制、不断提升公共档案信息文化传播影响力等相关措施和建议。     

Why Social Interaction and Good Communication in Academic Libraries Matters

SUMMARY

In these times of extraordinary development in information and communication technologies (ICT) many new tools and services, and traditional tools, such as the catalog, could be developed or enhanced by librarians to effectively support the academic community in teaching and learning. This paper will discuss how social interaction between technical and public service librarians could enhance library services to the academic faculty and students during these demanding times of technologies and information overload. The paper will also point out that the team approach to library services can improve social interaction between librarians when the perpetuation of the traditional academic organizational model is not efficient enough for the faculty and students' need-driven use of information. Rapid changes resulting from ICT demand constant social interaction that would be facilitated by establishing working teams for specific tasks.     

抗争信息在互联网上的传播结构及其影响因素——基于业主论坛的经验研究

本文利用社会网络分析技术,对不同信息节点在抗争信息传播结构的位置重要性差异及其原因进行了探讨。基于广州市118家业主论坛间抗争信息传播结构的实证分析表明,不同的业主论坛在抗争信息传播方面存在着结构性的位置差异,一些业主论坛在抗争信息传播方面比另一些业主论坛更为重要。此外,影响业主论坛结构性位置差异的因素,更多地与业主论坛自身的传播学特性而不是社会学特性有关。     

建设协同工作环境下图书馆管理信息系统的技术探讨

基于Intranet、Internet 和W eb 技术的人员或机构间协同工作环境已成为现代信息系统基础设施的重要组成部分。然而, 现有的许多图书馆管理信息系统仍旧是基于数据库、面向具体业务任务、相对独立的信息系统。随着社会的发展, 建设协同工作环境下的图书馆管理信息系统是当前图书馆自动化建设的重要任务。本文讨论适于协同工作环境的工作流管理技术及其在图书馆管理上的应用。     

Local archives and community collecting in the digital age

Aboriginal communities in Australia have adopted new information technologies in innovative ways. The most well known is the Ara Irititja project software, now increasingly adopted by many local community groups in Australia. These developments demand a policy response from public collecting institutions and governments. There is a raft of opportunities being presented by current archival and record-keeping, and information and record-development programs and activities in Aboriginal communities. These include economic empowerment through the development and distribution of new products; community empowerment through “owning” histories, stories, images and other associated material and being able to manage the context of, and access to this material; and the development of opportunities for young people. Accompanying these opportunities, however, are serious threats to the protection, preservation, collection and use of this material. These threats are both immediate and long-term and include technology changes and format shifting; physical threats to local collections; the lack of IT expertise and archival knowledge; a lack of knowledge or agreement on the archiving system, standards and principles, and many others. This paper proposes that archives held, and being developed in Aboriginal communities, are developed as a nationally distributed collection with community-generated protocols and community-based management, supported within a fully integrated national framework.     

iField视域下的信息可信度研究:概念溯源、主题演化与未来展望

信息技术的蓬勃发展带来了全球信息的爆炸式增长,同时也使人们在面对海量信息时必须充分考虑可信度问题。国际iSchools运动衍生出的iField学科以图书馆学、情报学为代表,也与传播学、计算机科学等其他信息相关学科有一定交叉。iField视域下的可信度研究涉及人、信息、技术与社会的交互,本文梳理过去二十余年间国内外在这一领域的研究和探索。首先,从概念内涵、理论基础、研究方法三个层面对可信度研究进行溯源;其次,基于技术环境与社会环境变迁的双重视角解析可信度研究的主题演化逻辑,总结可信度研究在Web 1.0、Web2.0、社交媒体、人工智能四个标志性阶段的研究重点与难点,并提炼出可信度研究的主题演化框架;最后,从概念内涵拓展、研究方法革新、可信度话题延展等角度对未来研究进行了前沿展望。本文希望厘清可信度研究的发展脉络,推动可信度研究的进一步拓新,为未来网络信息资源治理实践提供参考。     

Refining a theory of cross-cultural adaptation: an exploration of a new methodological approach to institutional completeness

The current study explored a whole-network approach to measure the impact of institutional completeness at an individual-level with regards to [Kim, Y. (2001). Becoming intercultural: An integrative theory of communication and cross-cultural adaptation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.] a theoretical model of cross-cultural adaptation. A new construct of ‘ethnic entrainment’ was proposed as a way to bridge the different levels of theoretical constructs in the model. The analytical challenge of verifying the influence of institutional completeness (a group-level construct in the model) on individuals’ communication patterns was partially overcome in this study by measuring the degree of one's structural embeddedness in various ethnic community networks (i.e. information, emotional support, and tangible help exchange networks). A community member survey (N?=?172) was utilized to construct social networks of a Korean immigrant community. The research tested hypotheses generated from Kim's theorems on the relationships between ethnic group strength and host/ethnic interpersonal/mass communication. Three out of five hypotheses were supported through hierarchical regression analyses.