Putting Knowledge to Use - Evolving Global Information Infrastructure and Information Transfer - page 124

• Teach or learn: The educational function of information and knowledge

• Enjoy: The recreational function

• Appreciate: The cultural function

• Decide: The informational function

• Create new information or knowledge: The research function

• Find or locate: The bibliographic (or identification) function

These uses of information and knowledge are the basis for the services
provided by library and information agencies—services with the goal of information
diffusion and knowledge utilization. We will discuss each service or function in
more depth below.

Educational Function

The educational function of libraries and information agencies supports learn-
ing—the diffusion of information. This function is one of the oldest forms of service
provided by the profession.
In recent years, librarians and other information professionals across the pro-
fession have become more engaged in the teaching/learning process. School and
college/university librarians have led the way, collaborating with faculty to teach
students information skills so that they can be effective users of information and
knowledge. “Information literacy” is the term often applied to the ability to use in-
formation effectively. However, teaching effective use of information in this know-
ledge age is an important function of medical, legal, public, corporate, government,
and all types of special library and information service agencies.
Developments in telecommunication and instructional technology have exten-
ded the classroom from an enclosed space to a virtual classroom without bound-
aries. Distance learning enables schools, colleges, and other organizations to
provide instruction to students anywhere in the world via the Internet with two-way
audio and video communication. Software designed for distance learning enables
students to interact in real time or asynchronously and to submit assignments to
the instructor electronically. Regardless of the agency offering the instruction, and
regardless of the instructional format, the information professional can assist by
providing resources for both the instructor and the learners.

Cultural Function