contemporary challenges facing library and information science professions in nigeria

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CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES FACING LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE PROFESSIONS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

To investigate contemporary issues in information management, explore the role of information
professionals in adapting to the current information environment, and suggest possible solutions and
recommendations. The investigation utilized recently published articles from the internet, conference
papers and literature surveys. The paper investigates the contemporary issues or trends in information
management and the crucial role of information professionals in provision of information services.
These include: knowledge society, emergence of knowledge management, professional competencies,
skills and attitudes, information communication technology (ICT) and globalization of information
services. In light of this, information professionals face challenging information environment in terms
of demand, user expectations and technological innovations. The crucial role of information
professionals is to ensure proper management of information services, which is instrumental in
bridging the information gap between the information systems and the information managers.
Therefore, information professionals need to equip themselves with adequate professional knowledge,
skills and competencies to remain relevant in the ever changing information environment. The paper
reveals that globally the area of information management is facing tremendous changes that pose
serious threats to information professionals. A review of the existing literature carried out identified
several contemporary or emerging issues in information management that have a direct bearing on
information professionals such as: knowledge society, knowledge management, professional
competencies, skills and attitudes, ICT and globalization of information services.
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: EMERGING PERSPECTIVES
Contemporary issues or trends are sweeping across professions
in the world including the information profession.
However, the issues are more felt in the area of
information management. A number of emerging issues
have risen in the recent times ranging from information
society and knowledge society to information management
and knowledge management to professional
competencies, skills and attitudes to ICT and
globalization of information services. These issues are
now driving the need for change in information
management. In light of this, the information profession is
undergoing tremendous change. Change from free
information to pay information, information to knowledge,
conventional library to digital library, and globalization to
technological innovation. Newman et al. (2001) have
predicted:
No profession will undergo more radical change between
2000 and 2010 than will the information professional.
However, people and organizations alike always resist
change whether beneficial or not. Omekwu et al. (2006)
while quoting Rutkowski (2000) points out that: change is
the constant that is constantly being challenged. People
resist change and changes even though it may lead to
new knowledge or to a better life. Organizations also
resist change even though it may lead to a better and
more effective system. Most people desire to stay with
the known rather than venture into the unknown and most
organizations stay the course, at best making incremental
change rather than launch revolutionary transformation.
For information professionals tapping into these issues
and having a fresh look is equally essential in information
management.
Data, information, knowledge and wisdom
A review of the existing literature shows that since time
memorial various attempts have been made to define
these closely related concepts (Al-Hawamdeh, 2002;
Bellinger, 2004; Faucher et al., 2008; Hicks et al., 2006;
Singh, 2007). Hence, it is essential to understand the
definition, difference and relationship among data,
information, knowledge and wisdom before information
management (IM) and knowledge management (KM).
However, there is no consensus within the literature on
the agreed definitions. A number of authors (Awad et al.,
2004; Faucher et al., 2008; Hicks et al., 2006; Singh,
2007; Wiig, 2004) have noted strongly that the literature
on information management and knowledge management
is replete with distinctions among data, information,
knowledge and wisdom. Consequently, Faucher et al.
(2008) observe that: the linguistic origins of these terms
shed some light on the derivation of their meaning (Table
1), but only broadly hint at the concepts as they are
currently understood. Interestingly, the earliest recorded
usage of each of the terms occurs in reverse order from
their generally perceived level of simplicity according to
the traditional knowledge hierarchy: wisdom is the oldest
term, and data the newest, in English.
Data is factual information (measurements or statistics)
used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation.
Information is the communication or reception of
knowledge or intelligence. Knowledge is the condition of
knowing something gained through experience or the
condition of apprehending truth or fact through reasoning.
And intelligence is the ability to understand and to apply
knowledge (Bouthillier et al., 2002). Consequently, Awad
et al., (2004) define wisdom as the highest level of
abstraction, with vision, foresight, and the ability to see
beyond the horizon. In the same vein, most recently,
Thierauf et al. (2006) define wisdom as the ability to
judge soundly over time. In another related development,
Wiig (1999) defines information as facts and data organized
to characterize a particular situation and knowledge
as a set of truths and beliefs, perspectives and concepts,
judgments and expectations, methodologies and knowhow.
Therefore, information can be seen as data made
meaningful by being put into a context; and knowledge as
data made meaningful through a set of beliefs about the
causal relationships between actions and their probable
consequences, gained through either inference or
experience (Mitchell, 2000).
There is a relationship or hierarchy among the concepts
of data, information, knowledge and wisdom. This
relationship or hierarchy is usually seen as a pyramid
ascending from data to wisdom. However, other authors
have strongly argued against this usual approach and
suggested other options. Tuomi (1999) suggested
reversing that hierarchy on the basis that data were more
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