Handbook on Information Sciences

About the Book

The Handbook on Information Sciences provides a comprehensive overview of the core themes within the discipline, including the organisation of information and how to manage data, and outlines avenues for future research. Discussions on the methodological evolution of the field are enriched by an in-depth evaluation of the use of experimental methods in information sciences.

This Handbook outlines the history of the information sciences and explores fundamental concepts such as materialist and semantic varieties of information, classification theory and document theory. Models of general information behaviour and specific information-seeking behaviour are analysed, as well as research methods and techniques for information retrieval. Expert contributors further examine public libraries as social institutions, information literacy, information sciences in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the relationship between information sciences and sustainability.

Presenting theoretical foundations as well as practical advice, this Handbook is a vital resource for students and academics of computer science, economics, information sciences, knowledge management, sociology, and technology and ICT. Practitioners interested in information sciences and research methods will also find this book beneficial.

Table of Contents:
Contents: 1 Introduction to the H�a�n�d�b�o�o�k� �o�n� �I�n�f�o�r�m�a�t�i�o�n� �S�c�i�e�n�c�e�s�: the discipline of and for the information society 1 P�e�t�e�r� �H�e�i�s�i�g� � 2 History of information science 7 C�a�r�l�o�s� �A�l�b�e�r�t�o� �Áv�i�l�a� �A�r�a�új�o� � 3 Concepts in information science 27 M�a�t�t�h�e�w� �K�e�l�l�y� � 4 Classification and Knowledge Organization 42 T�h�i�a�g�o� �H�e�n�r�i�q�u�e� �B�r�a�g�a�t�o� �B�a�r�r�o�s� �a�n�d� �I�s�a�d�o�r�a� �V�i�c�t�o�r�i�n�o� �E�v�a�n�g�e�l�i�s�t�a� � 5 Document theory 59 R�o�s�w�i�t�h�a� �S�k�a�r�e� � 6 Information need: what is it? 73 C�h�a�r�l�e�s� �C�o�l�e� �a�n�d� �T�h�o�m�a�s� �D�.� �W�i�l�s�o�n� � 7 Information behaviour 98 H�a�n�s�-�C�h�r�i�s�t�o�p�h� �H�o�b�o�h�m� � 8 Models of information-seeking behaviour 117 J�o�a�n� �C�.� �B�a�r�t�l�e�t�t� � 9 Information retrieval: core techniques, issues, current and future developments 137 T�h�o�m�a�s� �M�a�n�d�l� �a�n�d� �J�u�l�i�a� �M�a�r�i�a� �S�t�r�u�ß � 10 Diversification of research methods in information science 152 B�r�a�d�y� �D�.� �L�u�n�d� � 11 Experimental research in Library and Information Science 167 I�l�j�a� �F�r�i�s�s�e�n�,� �C�a�t�h�e�r�i�n�e� �H�e�n�d�e�r�s�o�n� �a�n�d� �M�.� �M�a�x� �E�v�a�n�s� � 12 Research data management 186 U�l�r�i�k�e� �W�u�t�t�k�e�,� �S�t�e�f�a�n� �S�c�h�m�u�n�k� �a�n�d� �M�i�r�j�a�m� �B�l�üm�m� � 13 Informetrics: beyond the citation index 205 David Gunnarsson Lorentzen and Gustaf Nelhans 14 Information visualization 220 Martin J. Eppler 15 Knowledge management 229 Peter Heisig 16 Introduction to data/text mining 256 Simon Y. K. Li and Eric Tsui 17 Public libraries: from cradle of democracy to community connections 273 Anne Goulding 18 Four challenges for the information society and the role of information institutions and research 292 Jesse David Dinneen 19 Information literacy: concepts, research, and promotion 312 Joachim Griesbaum, Antje Michel, Stefan Dreisiebner, Maria Gäde and Anke Wittich 20 A peek into the future: information science education and training in the fourth industrial revolution era 325 Tom Kwanya 21 Information sciences and sustainability 342 Jan Nolin Index 359

About the Author :
Edited by Peter Heisig, Professor of Information and Knowledge Management, Department of Information Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Germany

Review :
‘This handy Handbook is an outstanding, comprehensive, and indispensable resource for students, scholars, and practitioners in computer science, economics, information sciences, KM, sociology, technology, and ICT. It seamlessly integrates foundational theories with practical methodologies, providing deep insights into information sciences and research practices. In essence, it serves as a definitive and invaluable, and handy reference.’ ‘The wide-ranging contributions of this new Handbook, especially its excellent treatment of documentation and its broad approach to public libraries, provide welcome evidence of how far information science has matured beyond its early narrow positivist origins.’ ‘With its emphasis on concepts, theories, models, and philosophies, and with a commendable historical perspective, this handbook sets out the foundations of information science thoroughly and credibly. Peter Heisig’s well-chosen group of contributors gives a wide-ranging and up-to-date account of many aspects of the discipline.’