[Sigiii-l] Plaza

[Cecile Farnum]

We often consider the impact of globalization in terms of 
pure economic gains and losses, and in doing so; rarely consider 
how it will influence and impact on the information society.  As 
information professionals, the globalization of information has 
particular ramifications for our profession that necessitate its 
evolution. More importantly, it impacts on all of us personally, by 
reshaping our roles and responsibilities as citizens of a global 
village.
Rather than focusing on whether globalization is 'good' or 
'bad', I feel it is more useful to understand that it is both, 
simultaneously.  The increase in the manufacture of diverse 
information resources and their widespread availability through 
relatively inexpensive mediums such as the Internet, are positive 
by-products of the information society.  However, due to this 
increase in the quantity and accessibility of information, the 
information professional's authoritative role as the 'gatekeeper' of 
information who provides access to our patronage, is diminishing.  
With the achievement of vast quantities of information has come the 
need to shift our emphasis from simply finding information to 
understanding its origins, perspectives, and bias.  The information 
profession should consciously recast its role to emphasize the need 
for a greater understanding of the social contexts of the information 
resources now being produced for public consumption.
In terms of my personal life, I am a firm believer that while 
the advent of electronic mail, discussion boards and the Internet 
may increase the opportunity for making global connections, the 
information society has not impacted on me personally because 
interconnectedness is a two-way street.  The opportunity to be 
anonymous, isolated and secluded is still possible if we choose it to 
be, despite the encroachment globalization has made on our 
everyday lives.  Any action the information science community 
should take in assisting people through these changes should be to 
emphasize that globalization is not inevitability but rather, an 
individual choice as to how connected we want to be to our global 
community.