Introduction to Information Science

The second
edition of this definitive textbook provides an introduction to the library and
information sciences, emphasising their philosophical, theoretical, and
conceptual foundations. Updated to cover the changing information environment,
it is suitable as a text for college and university students, for those
beginning research, and for thoughtful practitioners.
The second edition of this definitive text gives a comprehensive overview of all aspects of the subject, bringing it up-to-date with analysis of the changes in the information environment, now largely digital, and their implication for the discipline and professions. Its approach is rooted in the philosophical, theoretical, and conceptual foundations of the subject and in particular in Floridi's ideas of the fourth revolution, hyperhistory, and onlife. The theory-practice relationship is strongly emphasised throughout, and the extensive literature coverage makes this a valuable sourcebook. This second edition is extensively revised, with largely new text, illustrations, and resources, and offers a global perspective.

The main topics covered include:

foundations: philosophies, theories, concepts, ethics, and historical perspectives
organising, retrieving, and analysing information and data
information behaviour, domain analysis, and digital literacies
digital technologies, information systems, and information management
information research methods and informetrics
changing modes of information communication, and information society
the nature and future of the information disciplines and professions.

This book will be a standard text for students of library and information disciplines, including information science, librarianship, information and knowledge management, archives and records management, and digital humanities. It will also serve as an introduction for those beginning research in these areas, and as a resource for thoughtful and reflective practitioners.