From Gutenberg to the Global Information Infrastructure: Accessing Information in the Networked World

Author: Christine L. Bergman
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-07-09
Features:
● This book examines issues from a historical perspective, providing an in-depth discussion on the future prospects of global information infrastructure. It also addresses serious and multi-dimensional challenges of integrating people and information in the globalized network;
● This book draws on research and practice from fields such as computer science, communication studies, library and information science, information policy, business, economics, law, political science, sociology, history, education, archival and museum studies, achieving a holistic, comprehensive, and in-depth approach;
● It introduces readers to the rich world of information, covering topics such as the design and use of digital libraries, the behavioral and institutional factors of e-publishing, the evolving roles of libraries, the lifecycle of information generation, usage, and retrieval, as well as the application and improvement of information technology;
● This book helps people understand the progression of the information society, enabling readers to stay ahead of the trends in the information age. Will the emerging global information infrastructure (GII) bring significant changes to human communication, much like the printing press? Or is it merely the result of existing human behavior and institutions adapting to new media? Can the GII enable everyone to access information more effectively? Will it replace libraries and publishers? How can we make computers and information systems more user-friendly? We need to tailor information systems to the needs of certain user groups while also standardizing them to connect with systems designed for other groups, other cultures, and languages. How should we balance these two approaches? With a human-centered approach, the author emphasizes how the global information infrastructure should be closely integrated with daily life to serve people, aiming to conduct in-depth research on the technical, behavioral, policy, and other issues related to the GII.