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

Will the emerging global information infrastructure (GII) create arevolution in communication equivalent to that wrought by Gutenberg, or will theresult be simply the evolutionary adaptation of existing behavior and institutionsto new media? Will the GII improve access to information for all? Will it replacelibraries and publishers? How can computers and information system

Will the emerging global information infrastructure (GII) create arevolution in communication equivalent to that wrought by Gutenberg, or will theresult be simply the evolutionary adaptation of existing behavior and institutionsto new media? Will the GII improve access to information for all? Will it replacelibraries and publishers? How can computers and information systems be made easierto use? What are the trade-offs between tailoring information systems to usercommunities and standardizing them to interconnect with systems designed for othercommunities, cultures, and languages?This book takes a close look at these and otherquestions of technology, behavior, and policy surrounding the GII. Topics coveredinclude the design and use of digital libraries; behavioral and institutionalaspects of electronic publishing; the evolving role of libraries; the life cycle ofcreating, using, and seeking information; and the adoption and adaptation ofinformation technologies. The book takes a human-centered perspective, focusing onhow well the GII fits into the daily lives of the people it is supposed tobenefit.Taking a unique holistic approach to information access, the book draws onresearch and practice in computer science, communications, library and informationscience, information policy, business, economics, law, political science, sociology, history, education, and archival and museum studies. It explores both domestic andinternational issues. The author's own empirical research is complemented byextensive literature reviews and analyses.