Information science arose from this historical study of information and its overlap with technology in the end of World War II. As we serve our communities, regardless of library type, one of the key interactions will be instructing patrons on how to use certain technological services to find information, store information, or capture information (R. E. Rubin & Rubin, 2020).

​

These two classes were in my first two semesters here at University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies. LS 500: Introduction to Information Science was one of the three required courses, and LS 567: Digital Reference was. I had transferred from PennWest and taken a class there called Integrated Technology in Comunities in addition to a class on reference both of which prepared me in their own way be able to meet this objective by working with my professors at SLIS. The first essay selected is looking into how information science can play a role in the responsible deployment of new technologies. In it I explore the fact that information science is in many ways duty-bound to help others understand the ethics involved in deploying new technologies.

 

While I don’t discuss the digital divide explicitly, I still point out how those with power, control, and knowledge over how systems work, have an inherent privilege related to access to that resource, which is part of what Privacy Rights Advocate and Sci-fi Author Cory Doctoroew, talks about when he discusses the “shitty tech adoption curve” The second study involves examining the virtual reference service of two different librarie—one academic and one public and analyze how time has changed the offerings of each branch. This gives a direct view into how technology is mediating access of an information service provided by libraries.

 

References:

Doctorow, A. C. (2022, August 21). Pluralistic: 21 Aug 2022 The Shitty Technology Adoption Curve Reaches Apogee – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow. https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/21/great-taylors-ghost/

 

Rubin, R. E., & Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science. American Library Association.