Issues for Libraries and Information Science in the Internet Age

by Shuman, Bruce A.

• ISBN13: 9781563088056
• ISBN10: 1563088053
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-06-15
• Publisher: Libraries Unltd Inc

Summary

The immense changes brought about by the Internet pose many questions and dilemmas for today's librarians. Are libraries destined for extinction as people turn to the Web for information? How will censorship issues, information overload, and archiving affect libraries in years to come? Shuman explores these and other challenges and poses possible solutions.

Author Biography

BRUCE A. SHUMAN is Adjunct Professor, Texas Woman's University, School of Library & Information Science, Denton.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Ecce Internet! Capabilities	1	(36)
Overview	1	(1)
What is the Internet?	1	(2)
Where, Exactly, is the Internet?	3	(1)
What is the World Wide Web?	4	(2)
How Big is the Internet?	6	(4)
How Important is the Internet?	10	(7)
History: The Internet's Birth and Development	17	(5)
Demographics: Who's on the Web?	22	(4)
Capabilities: What You Can Do, Find, Visit on the Web	26	(6)
E-Mail and the Internet	32	(3)
Notes	35	(2)
Caveat Internet! Potholes, Hazard Lights, and Glare Ice on the Information Superhighway	37	(40)
Overview	37	(1)
The Times, They Are a-Changin	37	(3)
Modern-Day Luddites	40	(2)
Not Dodge City; Who's in Charge, Here?	42	(4)
Hazardous Driving Conditions on the Infobahn	46	(5)
Drowning in Data: Information Overload	51	(1)
Truth and Accuracy: Information and Misinformation	52	(2)
Change in the Workplace	54	(2)
Change in Us	56	(7)
Access Issues: Haves and Have-Nots	61	(2)
Information Overload	63	(3)
What About Children? Filtering and Censorship on the Web	66	(8)
Notes	74	(3)
Libraries and the Internet: Collaboration or Competition?	77	(38)
Overview	77	(1)
Library Luddites	77	(3)
Who Needs Libraries? Who Needs Librarians?	80	(7)
The Role of the Reference Librarian	87	(1)
What About Books?	88	(3)
Internet Capabilities in the Library	91	(7)
Internet Filters: Access Denied	98	(5)
The Dark Side of the Internet	103	(2)
Internet Access Policies	105	(1)
The Internet As a Free Forum	106	(2)
Proliferation of Information	108	(4)
Notes	112	(3)
Netizenship: Legal and Ethical Aspects of the Internet	115	(30)
Overview	115	(1)
Netizens: Rights and Responsibilities	115	(2)
Legal Issues on the Net	117	(9)
Copyright: Deciding What's Fair	117	(5)
Privacy on the Net	122	(4)
Ethics and the Internet	126	(18)
Identity Theft; Information Theft; Security on the Net	127	(2)
Privacy	129	(3)
Electronic Security	132	(1)
Public Data	133	(2)
Holes in Security	135	(3)
Spam, Glorious Spam	138	(1)
Cookie Monsters and Electronic Footprints	139	(3)
Electronic Eavesdropping	142	(2)
Notes	144	(1)
Internet Resources for Libraries	145	(34)
Overview	145	(1)
Sites, Sites, and More Sites	146	(1)
Recall Versus Precision	147	(1)
Effective Search Strategies for Web Information Finding	147	(2)
The Internet As a Reference Tool	149	(28)
General Web Search Engines and Meta-Search Engines	154	(8)
Basic Reference Sources Online: Essential Web Tools	162	(4)
News and Entertainment Sites	166	(1)
Financial News and Information Sources	167	(2)
Sports Sites	169	(1)
Travel Sites	170	(1)
Food/Nutrition Sites	171	(1)
Health/Medical Sites	172	(2)
Technology Sites	174	(1)
Children's/Parents' Sites	175	(2)
Book and Other Library Media Shopping Sites	177	(1)
Entertainment Sites and Chat Rooms	177	(1)
Notes	178	(1)
Preserving the Past: Anticipating the Future	179	(18)
Overview	179	(1)
Preserving the Past: Archiving the Web	179	(6)
The Future?	185	(6)
Forever Free?	191	(2)
Planning: Getting the Future You Want	193	(3)
Notes	196	(1)
Appendix A: Selected Glossary of Internet-Related Terminology	197	(4)
Appendix B: Alphabetical Index of Web Sites	201	(4)
Appendix C: Bibliography: Libraries and the Internet	205	(18)
Index	223