Emerging Trends - Evolving Global Information Infrastructure and Information Transfer - page 161

As paradigms have shifted in society, so has a paradigm shift occurred in the
library and information profession. That shift is from a “bibliographic” to a “client-
centered” paradigm.
The bibliographic paradigm is so named because the preoccupation has been
with topics and other materials and their organization. The library profession val-
ued the acquisition, collection, organization, and storage of the records of society
and access to them. Collection size was valued: the largest collection of materi-
als, the largest library building, the largest staff, and the largest budget were con-
sidered the best.
Organization of those materials became a priority. Although collections expan-
ded after World War II to include media in a variety of formats, the concern for or-
ganization and care of the information packages was at least as important as the
concern for the users of information.
As we entered the digital age and technology became more sophisticated, the
preoccupation sometimes shifted to applying technology, having the latest com-
puter systems, and a focus on “access.” Although innovation is important and the
newest technologies should indeed be incorporated into information services, the
needs of the user are sometimes secondary to maintenance and utilization of the
technology instead of focus on the information users.
Diffusion of information and knowledge requires helping a client to establish
meaning. As we have stated in this topic, diffusion of information and knowledge is
the goal of library and information professionals as guides and facilitators in the in-
formation infrastructure. The “people paradigm” replaces the focus on a collection
of information and technology with a focus on people. This is a relatively simple
concept but one that is often overlooked in library and information science (LIS)
schools and in professional practice. Recognition of this shift is important for library
and information professionals to be effective guides in the information infrastruc-
ture.
Library and information professionals must also be aware of the impact of the
emerging paradigm on information services. Many changes are under way, and
major trends are outlined below.
Role of the Information Professional in the Information Infra-
structure
As explained in Chapter 9, information professionals play a vital role in the in-
formation infrastructure because they grasp the “big picture” of the information in-
frastructure. They understand the information transfer processes, from creation of