Library and information sciences


One calls library and information sciences (SIB) the whole of knowledge and know-how useful for the people charged to manage one or a service of-documentation.

Synopsis

Definition

The French expression library and information sciences comes from the English expression library and information science (LILY). In France, academic name is rather "communication and information sciences", corresponding to that of the 71ème section of the national Council of universities (CNU). It acts of a field of research and study characterized by its object (information, its nature, its properties, its transfer) and not by its , like is for example it or . Approaches very different from this object indeed possible and are practised. Beside theoretical concerns, the information sciences are also interested in the institutions and the practices of transmission of information. The libraries, in particular those which accompany the activities by study and research, are one of the institutions associated with this transfer. In a very general direction, one can thus consider that the information sciences include fields such as:

  • (management of the libraries)
  • (information retrieval)
  • cataloguing and indexing (description of the collections)
  • bibliology (knowledge of the book, the edition and the various types of documents)

However, there exists of the divergences on the nature and the limits of this scientific field. For example, it (CNRS) and it (CNAM) includes it in the information sciences. One can also wonder whether linguistic engineering (computer-assisted translation, "voyellisation" of Arabic...) its place in the information sciences has. These difficulties of definition and delimitation are characteristic of a field of knowledge in the course of constitution. So a significant part of the scientific production is centered on these questions. It at least seems to exist a strong distinction between the specialists in and those of . Perhaps this scientific field it has to be divided into various fields.

Communication and information sciences (SIC)

In appears in the expression "information sciences". It is in , with The United States, that it is developed when American Documentation Institute becomes itAmerican Society for Information Science. How to define the information sciences? They have as an aim the study of the general properties of information (natural, genesis, effects); they line up in the sector of social sciences, principal means of access to a comprehension of social and and which sees collaborating between them of the disciplines such as , , , data processing, them , it , it, , ... The information sciences answer a requirement of knowing and communication born of the social life. Information can take various forms (text, , ), on varied media (printed papers form, films, , , electronic files...). It integrates at the same time written processes, oral and visual processes. Information is transmitted between individuals, within the companies or of the companies. The information sciences cover all these cases with figures. Interdisciplinary social sciences from now on, the information sciences found their letters of nobility: university formations and diplomas include this concept in their headings.

In France, the information sciences have an official designation, the information sciences and communication (SIC). Abroad, information and the communication are generally separate. At the origin of SIC, one can recall the part played by and Jean Meyriat, then other thinkers such Barthes or Greimas who, little by little were dissociated some. They are concretized by the installation of dies and diplomas specific to documentation as from the years 1960-1970: diplomas of (HAD), control of sciences and technology (MST), then, later, of the increasingly diversified diplomas. Then creation comes from French company of the communication and information sciences (SFIC), body of reflexion on the theoretical and scientific bases of these sciences, company now dynamic which has its own review (the letter of Inforcom), holds of the annual congresses and collaborates with equivalent European companies. Many theses in information sciences are constant each year in the universities. However, the SFIC is not the only representative authority. It is wise to announce the many teacher-researchers who contribute to the development of this field of research.

Teaching

France

In , the SIB are taught on the level by (ENSSIB), located at . Other formations, level or , is also organized by certain universities.

The material taught are as follows:

  • Libraries and resource centres (standard of establishments, missions and functions, policies public, construction, finances, statistics and evaluation)
  • Public and services (location and analyzes the public ones, of the services and human resources, cultural action)
  • and documents (indexing, cataloguing, , formats, classifications, information retrieval, documentary policies, history of the book and of the media, and development of the old documents, economy of information, right of information)
  • (data-processing general, computerized systems of management of library, numerical documents, , )

Quebec and Canada

With , the SIB are taught bySchool of biblio-economics and the information sciences (EBSI), which forms part of and byMcGill university (School of Library and Information Studies). In the remainder of Canada, the program of Library and Information Science is offered to Dalhousie University (), in University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of and in University of Western Ontario.

See too

External bond

 

  > French to English > fr.wikipedia.org (Machine translated into English)