The Information Infrastructure - Evolving Global Information Infrastructure and Information Transfer - page 68

Discarding
Records may be removed from collections and destroyed if the content is ir-
relevant or obsolete, or if the physical object is damaged beyond repair. When
discarding, the information professional must consider the three aspects of a re-
cord as noted in “Preservation” above. Items not preserved should be discarded,
removed from a collection. Another way of thinking about this process is that re-
sources must be evaluated regularly. When resources are no longer contributing
to the mission of the agency, they should be discarded.
The information transfer cycle represents the life cycle of information, regard-
less of format. Electronic resources, of course, also have this life cycle. It is helpful
to consider this model when thinking about the information infrastructure. Although
technology has merged some of the stages of information transfer, the model is
adaptable as new technologies emerge. This model will be the framework for ex-
amining the information infrastructure in this topic.
The Information Transfer Processes Are Interactive
The model we have provided for information transfer appears to be linear and
orderly. One process follows another, and in Figure 4.1, the information is shown
to flow one way, from sender to recorded message to an information system, and
to receivers of the message. However, an increasing number of library and inform-
ation professionals have suggested a more interactive relationship between the in-
formation system (libraries or other information agencies) and the recipients of the
information—the clientele of the information agencies. That relationship is shown
in Figure 4.2.
Figure 4.2 Information Transfer Model