Diffusion of Information and Knowledge: How Information Becomes Meaningful - Evolving Global Information Infrastructure and Information Transfer - page 104

ward movement and change. However, since innovation is risky and uncertain, ad-
option is a slow process.
Katz, Levin, and Hamilton (1963, 240) added the cultural dimension to Rogers's
definition of diffusion: the (1) acceptance (2) over time (3) of some specific
item—an idea or practice, (4) by individuals, groups, or adopting units, linked (5)
to specific channels of communication, (6) to a social structure, and (7) to a given
system of values, or culture.
This model attempts to be more sensitive to specific cultural, structural, and in-
dividual effects of intercultural diffusion. Culture denotes common beliefs, assump-
tions, and values that guide behavior. Culture is value-laden and identifies both
positive and negative beliefs, assumptions, and values.
In a global society, the diffusion of professional practice can have its limitations.
Negotiating standards and policy must account for differences. In the library field,
the Western notions of “service” that value the user and user input can be quite
alien to librarians in developing countries.
The Western notion of service is found in the United States Constitution, clearly
an American invention that has influenced virtually everything this country has
done, including laws and policies. While we stray from it occasionally, we're a
people-oriented society, placing the people and collective governance over author-
itarian rule. Despite the democratic ideals articulated in the Constitution, ideolo-
gical disputes occur regarding the limits of the government's role regarding such
issues as assistance to the needy, health care, regulation of air quality, and reg-
ulations of private enterprise. The boundaries of the paradigm are dynamic and
constantly challenged.
Within the library and information professions also, we find both the user-
centered service paradigm as well as the bibliographic paradigm that values col-
lections of resources and order perhaps more than the needs of users. The pres-
ence of both paradigms may be apparent in cataloging standards, access to in-
formation, and outreach efforts. The professions continuously confront the function
of new technologies and their utilization within the service-oriented paradigm.
Education in the Information Infrastructure
A vital component of the information infrastructure is education, which is all
about the diffusion of knowledge. And education is the diffusion of culture; the pur-
pose of a country's or organization's education system is to teach children and
adults the core culture of that country or organization—the values associated with
its history and the necessary skills for a person to succeed in contemporary soci-
ety.