Emerging Trends - Evolving Global Information Infrastructure and Information Transfer - page 174

Individual researchers use quantitative,
objective methods; conduct practical
research

Teams of researchers use a mix of
methods, apply theory to professional
research

Creation

Research is recorded and stored
privately; data sets may be discarded
after publication of results

Research is recorded digitally and
stored in a repository open for review;
data sets are preserved

Recording

Reports are peer-reviewed and ac-
cessed through a repository, may be
submitted to scholarly journals; work
may be Creative Commons licensed
and possibly copyright registered

Reports are peer-reviewed, submitted
to printed scholarly journals, copy-
righted

Mass-produc-
tion

Journals published as hard copies and
sent to subscribers; work is reviewed in
publications

Repository is open-access; journals are
disseminated to subscribers digitally,
assessed in social media

Dissemination

Journals are organized in libraries us-
ing standard cataloging and subject
headings; metadata are limited to a
brief description of the content and loc-
ation of the physical document

Repositories create customized tags,
and users also tag with links to other
sources; metadata elements are greatly
expanded to locate other information
sources

Organization

Education occurs primarily face to face,
using technology to augment instruc-
tion

Education occurs in a variety of techno-
logies, often at a distance

Diffusion

Utilization occurs with assistance via
technologies and social media; usage
can be determined

Utilization occurs with individual assist-
ance and self-learning

Utilization

Paper is less used; digital sources are
the primary storage medium

Preservation Paper is the primary medium

Discards are physically destroyed or
given away

Digital information resources are de-
leted

Discarding

The digital era is best described as “complex.” Each of the information transfer
processes is more complex and requires the information user to make choices;
consequently, the role of information professionals is also more complex, because
they must be able to diagnose users' information needs, help them locate inform-
ation resources in appropriate formats according to their preferences, and assist
them in interpreting and making meaning of the information.
The relative simplicity of the bibliographic paradigm has been replaced by an
emergent paradigm that requires a much more challenging role for information pro-
fessionals. More than ever before, the information professional and the information
consumer are required to use their imaginations in order to partner in the acquisi-
tion and effective use of information.