[Sigia-l] IA and Medium

[Paula Thornton]

It was asked: What makes an IA not a librarian?

It depends on your definition of IA. If 'bad' Peter had his way, the
definition of IA would be strictly related to librarian-like skills. But
there's the difference between an "information architect" and the discipline
of "information architecture" of which an "information architect" is but one
role. Even the definition of "information architect" (sorry Peter) would be
hard-pressed to maintain the librarian definition. Having come from the
ranks of (and just returned from their recent conference) DAMA (data
management) they liberally use the term "information architect" and this
past conference was the first 'formal' introduction most of those people had
to the 'existence' of library science as a discipline and potential
contributor to their activities.

In looking at the definition from the 'broader' perspective, I will say
again...there are two broad activities that IAs engage in: helping
individuals "find" or "do" something. The LIS skills definately are best
used for the purpose of optimizing 'finding'...other skills are needed to
optimize 'doing' (navigation, process design...of which navigation is one
form, etc.).

Paula Thornton