ASSIGNMENT #1 This is about process, not theory A way to bring you all to the same page Any textual information within the diagram

MUST be subordinate to the visual representation

Impossible to do without some background reading

Do not be too literal—this is an academic exercise—include everything!

Working in groups can be difficult but in the workplace you will be required to be a part of a team—sometimes you must concede that in group situations the majority rules

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THE INFORMATION

CYCLE

Introduction to Library and Information Studies

LIS 505

February 8, 2010

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OBJECTIVES:

To examine information flow using the metaphor of the information cycle

To look at the methods of informal and formal communication

To identify problem areas in the flow of information through the cycle

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WHAT IS INFORMATION?

discrete but unstructured factsbuilding blocks of information –

numbers, letters, symbols often implies that meaning has

not been assignedanswer without the question

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Data:

WHAT IS INFORMATION?

An aggregation, organization or classification of data in such a way that meaning is assigned to that data

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Information:

WHAT IS INFORMATION?

Knowledge ordered, processed, collectivized

information to which a more profound structure has been applied

Wisdom• possession of knowledge together with

experience, and their application critically for the common good

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INFORMATION… Can be overloaded with it or suffer

from lack of it Can be transferred from one person to

another On transfer, transmitter retains it Can be right or wrong A commodity with a value Must have a vehicle to be represented Can be transmitted across time and

space

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INFORMATION CREATION

We all create, transmit and receive information throughout our lives.

Role of WWW in expanding ability of individual to reach a wider audience?

Infinite—anybody could access the Web What about Digital Divide? Age, socio-economic factors, etc. What is the chance of producing something of value?

Unfiltered But can be filtered by the individual

Misinformation—mistranslation Medium can be more influential than the message

E.g. Web is changing how learning is happening

News can be found out very quickly

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INFORMATION CYCLE METAPHOR

Concept of information flow from creators to consumers, who in turn may become creators.

Role of different types of communication

Role of libraries

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The Information Cycle

RESEARCHERS

Especially important role in Information Cycle

Communication is vital for research:to propagate findingsto establish claim

Dramatic growth in researchers

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INFORMATION COMMUNICATION

Often first communication of research findings is not through formal, published channels but informally:

Conversation Correspondence (e-mail, etc.) Conference Listserv (?) Website (?)

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INFORMAL INFORMATION

Characteristics:

Ephemeral - information is not intended for permanent retention

Restricted audience Flow tends to be spontaneous,

unregulated and unstructured (Grosser)

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INFORMAL INFORMATION NETWORKS IN ORGANIZATIONS

(GROSSER)

Barriers form because of differences in cultures, conceptual frameworks and terms of reference

“Boundary spanners” act as go-betweens between internal and external human networks. Hold significant informal status, power and prestige within organization

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INFORMAL COMMUNICATIONS: DEBATE

For Least effort Pleasant Fast Up-to-date Specific Targeted Feedback Private Access to unique info Innovative

Against

Requires contacts Restricted audience Time consuming Redundancy No permanent record

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INFORMAL COMMUNICATION “MECHANISMS”

Invisible Colleges:

Scientists become familiar with new ideas long before publication. Direct influence on dissemination and utilization of information. Indirect influence on knowledge discovery.

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Human networks:

INFORMAL COMMUNICATION “MECHANISMS”

Social circles: Interaction with others affects

individual’s behavior.

Gatekeepers: An evolutionary position. High status.

Variations by discipline, institution, status.

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INFORMAL COMMUNICATIONS:ADVANTAGES

Brainstorming—evaluate, discard or accept information much easier The “noise” can be beneficial to moving on to the next steps

Doesn’t have to be a “box”—i.e. it is not as restrictive Serendipitous—digressions can result in innovation Raises level of public discussion and debate

People are more conversant with certain issues than they were in the past

Innovation is facilitated because one is building on the ideas of others

Instantaneous—no need to be face-to-face Allows for a broader spectrum of learning styles Conversations can go in many different ways than one

might anticipate People feel more comfortable Easy to learn others’ values and beliefs

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INFORMAL COMMUNICATIONS:DISADVANTAGES

Risk of leaks—lose control over the information Funding issues—if it is not recorded in some way Cannot easily determine emotions and feelings when

online Might self-censor for fear of reprisals

People may seem to agree when they actually do not People may be afraid to speak up Peer pressure Tensions arise with dominate personalities

Credibility and authority of sources? Tendency to digress—may confuse or distract Time issues Lack of structure Cultural and language barriers

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FORMAL INFORMATION

Flow is primarily vertical in organizational venue

Information recorded on a permanent medium Extended audience System looks orderly but can be rigid, slow

and unreliable (e.g. miscommunication) Finite carrying capacity

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STAGES OF FORMAL INFORMATION: PRIMARY

Research reports Patents Trade literature Conference proceedings Scholarly/scientific/academic journals

(including electronic journals) Monographs

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STAGES OF FORMAL INFORMATION: SECONDARY

Abstracting/Indexing databases

Monographs

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STAGES OF FORMAL INFORMATION: TERTIARY

Textbooks

Literature reviews

Popular journals

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FORMAL COMMUNICATIONS:ADVANTAGES

Information has been vetted in some way—quality control E.g. peer review

Conclusions exist in a stable form Easier to critique if obsolete or incorrect Authoritative

Bibliographic control(e.g. indexes, etc.) It is in one place Archiving/permanence

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FORMAL COMMUNICATIONS:DISADVANTAGES

Time-consuming (slow!) Might be scarier than informal Fixed and cannot be retracted or edited More frustrating (for all the reasons above, including the fact that

there is a record of it) More difficult to reach the final goal

Some people may feel like they belong in the discussion and cannot contribute on that level

Tendency to agree/confirm the existing ideas in order to ensure publication

Can be rejected and never published Institutional and other politics come into play Intellectual property belongs to publisher Illusion of authority and credibility just because it is published Much more expensive to produce than informal communication

Can be prohibitive and so expensive as not to be available

It can be obsolete even before it is published26

ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT

Blurring of distinctions between formal and informal communication:

Message as Document

Document as Message

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CAUSES OF INFORMATION EXPLOSION

Increased population Increased research population Increased publication pressures in

universities Increased leisure Increased literacy Improved communication media

Information or communication explosion???

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INFORMATION OR COMMUNICATION EXPLOSION? Information:

Just data

Communication: How the information is disseminated—instant People are available 24/7 and replies are expected

immediately

Both Has to be both because communication cannot happen

without information Communication is information but information does not have

to be communication Communication requires content

The question is poised on the ratio between the amount of information (content) and the amount of attention (communication) it receives

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ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS: FOR

Speeds up publication Opportunities for new publishers Article can become discrete unit Interactive Multimedia Copy and paste capabilities Cheaper? No storage/binding/loss for libraries Remote access

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ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS: AGAINST

Hardware requirements constantly change Quality control Authority? Bibliographic control Readability Image quality Permanence Archiving Non-portability (?)

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WHY HUMAN NETWORKS? (GROSSER)

Literature identifies an overwhelming preference for human sources.

Why?

Need for social interaction Establishment or promotion of a

mutually supportive work environment

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WHY HUMAN NETWORKS? (GROSSER)

Quickest and most efficient means of procuring information.

Avoidance of information overload.

Easier to ask someone nearby.

More up-to-date information than published works.

And…

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WHY HUMAN NETWORKS? “People add value to information,

interpreting its meaning and significance in a particular context; this cannot be derived from documents or computer-based information sources.” (p. 388)

Grosser, K. (1991). Human networks in organizational information processing. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, 26, 349-402

Does the Web change this?

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STUDENT ORGANIZATION WEBSITESSpecial Library Association Buffalo (SLAB)http://gse.buffalo.edu/org/slasg/

Library & Information Studies Graduate Student Association

http://gse.buffalo.edu/org/lisgsa

American Library Association (ALA)www.ubstudentala.wordpress.com

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