INFORMATION IS THE KEY INPUT IN ALL SOCIAL AND

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

By

Julie Lalthlanthangi

Ph.D Scholar

Dept. of Lib. & Info.

Sc.

Mizoram
University.

Meaning of Information:

First of all, we have to know the meaning of information. Information can

be defined as a subset of knowledge acquired, deliberately or accidentally,
by study or experience. It can also defined as knowledge communicated or
received concerning a particular fact or circumstances; any knowledge
which is gained through communication, research and instruction. It is
also a product of human brain in action which may be abstract or
concrete. Information has provides news or intelligence communicated by
words or in writing; facts or data; knowledge derived from reading or
instruction which was gathered in any way.

Information Technology:

Information Technology is the great enabler. Technology, in all of its

various forms, offers users the tools to access, manipulate, transform,
evaluate, use, and present information. Technology includes computers,
televisions, video cameras, photocopier, LCD projector and others. There
is an empirical indication that the person who uses technology as a tool
may become better at managing information, communicating, and
presenting ideas.

Information may come in different forms, from a paper-based magazine or

book, report or newspaper, from a digital source such as a database, a
search engine or a e-book accessed through a computer, or it may come
from any other form of media: film, video, DVD, radio, television, etc. The
media by which the different sources of information is provided includes:

1. Computer Technology:

Computer Technology is one of the key factors in shaping the present

societies and formulating technologies for the future. It involves the study,
design, development, implementation, support or management of
computer-based information systems, particularly software applications

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and computer hardware. It helps to convert, store, protect process,
transmit, and securely retrieve information.

The emergence of computer is one of the hallmarks in the revolution

triggered by the networking technology. This technology has not only
changed the ways computers worked and the way people worked with
computers, but also have made a profound impact in different areas,
especially in those of learning and communications. It has shrunk the
world and brought people together. The influence of this technology can
be found almost in every walk of life.

Computer had its origin in the late 1940’s. Originally, computers were
considered as machines meant exclusively for doing calculations.The first
commercial computer was the UNIVAC I. It was designed by J. P. Eckert
and John Mauchly for the U.S. Census Bureau. The late 70s saw the rise of
microcomputers, followed closely by IBM’s personal computer in 1981.
Since then, four generations of computers have evolved. Each generation
represented a step that was characterized by hardware of decreased size
and increased capabilities. The first generation used vacuum tubes, the
second transistors, and the third integrated circuits. The fourth (and
current) generation uses more complex systems such as Very-large-scale
integration or System-on-a-chip.

For 20 years after their invention, computers were the tools of science,
and largely of expensive ‘big science. They were used for vastly complex
calculations in mathematics and physics, and for little else. Commercial
uses were only slowly explored, the pioneers being big companies whose
business involved handling large quantities of numerical data; in practice,
this meant banks, insurance companies and a few other very large
corporations.

In recent times, computers are being used for a number of wide and
varied applications, ranging from communicating to each other from
remote corners of the world to gathering of information, downloading
software and even playing games.

2. Communication Technology (Networking and

Internet):

In course of time, computers were interconnected to form computer

networks. Networking allowed sharing data as well as resources stored in
one computer with another. More and more networks were formed in due
course. As the number of networks grew, computer networks located in
different places were connected to each other to form larger networks.
Computers spread their ‘net’ across the world, and thus emerge the era of
the Internet.

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In the present fast changing world, identification and exploitation of
information resources is an essential function of every organization.
Internet is a platform for sharing and providing information and through
this channel tens of millions of scholars, scientists, businessmen,
librarians, journalists, artists and software developers are woven into a
‘global village’. Internet is a pool of information contributed by more than
100 countries and it is a powerful dissemination tool. It helps us to keep
up-to-date with current developments and overcomes the problems of
delay in publication of paper media and limited clientele. Internet is a
means of faster communication through e-mail, telecommunication,
discussion forums, and Usenet news services. About 90% of information
available on Internet is free of cost. However due to rapidly expanding
number and variety of information sources, it takes lot of time to get the
required information.

The development and growth of electronic information network and the

Internet in particular, has provided a wider range of opportunities for
provision of resource sharing through access to a greater variety of
sources. The past few years have seen the rapid development of a number
of information networks nationally and internationally, which vary for local
resources centers to funded online projects. Three major technical
developments occurred during 1970’s, which make possible resource
sharing via networking.

3. Multimedia Technology:

The last decade of the 20th Century has been described as the Decade of
Multimedia. It has been often predicted that though the economic
affordability of necessary development and dissemination technologies,
there would be a world-wide shortage of contents. The number of
multimedia CD-ROM’s generated indigenously now stands close to 50. In
variety, the contents cover classical and contemporary paintings, religious
discourses, yoga, classical dance and technical training.

The invention of recording and the development of wireless gave a vastly

greater significance to orality. The telephone, which was invented in 1876,
was a great advance on the telegraph, by allowing direct spoken
communication. Wireless broadcasting was one of the great contributors
to the development of the oral communications culture of the 20th century.
The other great popular medium of that period, although which was
perhaps used more for entertainment than for information, was the
cinema. These new media were beginning to undermine both the unique
position of print and the cultural self-confidence of its advocates by the
end of 1930s. The pleasure to be obtained from listening to the radio or
watching a film was, for many people, as great as or greater than that
from reading a book, and perhaps demand less effort and fewer skills. And

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lastly, computer came into existence which gave a great significance to
the development of the society.

Today, the normal physical format for multimedia objects is the optical
disc, familiar as the compact disk or CD. It first came into general use as a
medium for recorded sound of extraordinary high quality, and has indeed
largely displaced the earlier recorded sound formats such as magnetic
tapes and vinyl discs. An optical disk, however, can be used for any
digitized data. Multimedia CD-ROMs became common, because it provided
the format for such electronic works of reference as dictionaries,
encyclopedias and other familiar tools that were converted into electronic
format.

At the turn of the 21st century the digital versatile disk (DVD) brought
digitization to home entertainment. Commercial DVDs are more than
digitized versions of movies. They typically include background
information, commentary and perhaps critical analyses of the film that is
the core content of the disk. The pace of technological innovation and the
apparently insatiable desire to use new media shows no sign of
diminishing.

4. Database Providers:

It means data that are organized in a particular structure and are of

different types such as full text, numeric and bibliographic database. In
this age of networking and internet, there are a large number of database
in each subjects which gives information to the public at large.

Identification and collection of data are only the first steps in the provision
of information. The collected data must be varied, classified, organized,
aggregated, stored, retrieved and communicated. Organized efforts are
being made to create data centre and information systems to cater to the
needs of the relevant documents, some with abstracts of document cited.
They also provide data and information collected through surveys,
observation and experimentation. They also provide the entire information
available in journals, periodicals, books, etc.

Information literacy requires an awareness of the way in which information

systems work, of the dynamic link between a particular information need
and the sources and channels required to satisfy that need.

Use of Internet by the Library User

Internet provides easy access to ever increasing volume of information. It

is a pool of information contributed by more than 100 countries and it is a
powerful dissemination tool. Internet is one of the boons of information
technology. Introduction of Internet and Web technology has reduced the

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cost, time and manpower of publishing documents. Internet provides a
wealth of information such as online E-Books, E-Journals, E-newsletter, and
E-database. The vast resources can be accessed by the library and
information centre and can be provided to the users. There are vast
resources of information available on the net. Some well known
information resources are given below:

1. EBSCO: - It is an international database covering all the discipline

areas of information resources. The full text bibliographic database
is a very useful resource in business and management environment.
Through EBSCO we access more than 8,000 E-journals and over 3.6
million full text articles. http://www.ebsco.com
2. Blackwell Publishers: - Blackwell publishers are the largest
publishers who provide about 600 prestigious journals. All Blackwell
journals are available online as well as in print editions. Online
journals can be accessed through Blackwell Synergy, an online
service of Blackwell. http://www/blackwellpublishers.co.uk
3. Informatics: - This is an Indian-based information provider and
covers worldwide publications in all areas of knowledge
classifications, most of the Indian publications are covered in full-
text form. Informatics is one of the best Information Resource
databases of India.
4. U.S. Patent Full-Text and Full Image Database: - This is
divided into two parts, i.e. (i) Patent Grants Database and (ii) Patent
Application Database. It provides Boolean search facilities. If the
user clicks on the particular document the full text of the document
along with the abstract will be displayed and the user can download
or get a printout of the same. http://www.uspto.gov
5. World Libraries on the World Wide Web: - It provides the
ultimate source of authentic and reliable information of over 150
libraries of the world on the net. This list of libraries includes the link
of public libraries, research libraries, libraries of different
educational institutions, business libraries, science libraries and IMF
libraries all over the world. www.123world.com/libraries

The journals available online are increasing day by day. Some journals
offered by OCLC like Current Clinical Trials and the online journal,
Knowledge Synthesis in Nursing has no print equivalent. Even software
companies are entering into this area. Microsoft is planning an online
electronic journal which will be available on Internet and Microsoft
network.

Some Indian Magazines are internationally available now on CD-ROM.

About 200 daily Newspapers, 600 Magazines, over 1000 newsletters and
products are available, online viz. communication network and Internet.

Internet Services

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There are several services that are provided by the Internet. Some of the
major services can be basically grouped into different heads such as
electronic mail or e-mail, Internet telephony, World Wide Web (www),
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and so on.

E-mail: An electronic mail service is the simplest and the most widely
used communication facility available on the Internet and is commonly
called, in short, as the e-mail service. Using this facility, people can send
and receive messages over the Internet. The additional advantage is that
messages need not always be in text form. Graphic files, sound files or
data files can be attached with messages send through the Internet. This
communication method is so fast that messages reach their destination
within minutes. This saves time as well as ensures reliability.

Internet Telephony: Internet telephony system helps to make real time

transmission of voice over the Internet. The advantage is that it is cheaper
for long distance communication. This technology can be improved to
boost other connected applications such as video conferencing. This
facility helps to make communication between phone and computer or
between computers.

World Wide Web: The World Wide Web or simply the Web comprises of a
large number of interconnected servers, in which lots of information on
varied topics are stored. People can access the information stored in there
servers by running separate programs called client programmes, also
known as browsers.

Special programs called search engines are available for locating a

particular subject on the Web. When a search is performed using a search
engine, it will display the search results as per the criteria of the search.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC): IRC is a program that allows users to carry
out text-based (typed) conversations through the Internet. This facility is
getting popular in recent times. Depending on the topic of conversation,
chat groups are divided into a number of channels which concentrates on
particular topics. In order to chat, it is necessary to join a particular
channel. Different Web sites offer chat facilities like Yahoo chat, MSN chat,
rediffbol, etc.

Newsgroups: It is a forum on the Internet that enables threaded

discussions on a specified range of subjects. Anybody can subscribe to
newsgroups and can read the messages posted on them. Users can also
post their own message or articles to members in the group. Topic for
discussion for newsgroups is wide and varied and not limited to subjects.
Through these discussions groups, people can address a large audience
around the world-‘meet’ each other, interact and share ideas. Due to this,
discussion groups are also some times called Netnews.

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File Transfer: Another significant service of the Internet is the file
transfer facility through an application level protocol called File Transfer
Protocol. This facility, known as FTP in short, helps to transfer file from one
computer to another. To locate the needed files in the Internet, special file
locating programs are also available. Copying files from a remote
computer to the local computer is technically referred to as downloading,
whereas copying files from the local computer to the remote computer is
called uploading.

Remote Login: Through Internet, users can log into a remote computer
system and work on that system as if they are working in their own local
system. Thus, a computer at user’s home can be connected to one at the
office and the user can login to the office computer and can do the office
work from his home. Working on remote computers is made possible
through client programs such as Telnet, Gopher and Veronica. These help
users to access and work on remote computers.

As the ‘internetworking’ is getting stronger, different activities of people

such as learning, teaching, communicating, banking and so on has been
taking new shapes. Internet is proving to be the single most significant
phenomenon offering never ending opportunities. Once you know the
information that you want to find, how to find it, where to find it and how
to access it, the Internet becomes an extremely powerful resource
irrespectively of whether you are using it for work, education,
entertainment or just for the fun of exploring. Once you know how to send
and receive electronic mail, subscribe to mailing lists, joint and participate
in discussion groups and Internet chats, your power to communicate with
people anywhere in the world increases dramatically.

The beauty of Internet is that all these power and resources are available
at a very minimal cost. So Internet literacy is a must for every individual
who wants to succeed in this information age.

Evaluation Tools on Internet

Millions of pages of information are available on the Web; it is very hard to

search the relevant information form the Web. To retrieve relevant,
consistent and useful information within a short time, the user should
know about the tools of surfing Internet resources or information through
the Web. Basically tools are computer programs, which enable user/clients
to retrieve information/electronic resources from the Web site. They are
the means to capture the information form the particular database, i.e. a
Web site. Each Web site comprises its own information server and each
Web site has a different database. A Web search engines is an interactive
tool to help people locate information available via the World Wide Web.
Web search engines are actually databases that contain references to
thousands of resources. Users interact with database, submitting

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questions that “ask” the database if it contains resources that match
specific criteria. A Web search engine provides an interface between the
user and the underlying database. Many Web search engines use “file-out”
forms as an interface, and support complex queries. Many also include
instructions and tips to search the database more effectively. So to search
right information from the right database we use basically four types of
tools as follows.

1. Subject Search (Index Search):- It is a hierarchical search based

on parent/child concept, which means starts with a general subject
heading and provides hyperlinks to more specific sub-headings. If a
user wants to search general information on a particular topic then
this is very useful. Yahoo! and Google are the best examples of
Index search.
2. Keyword Search: - It is used to retrieve specific information and
provides a list of references or hits known as keyword search. In
that case the database is larger and more current, instead of
directory search tools. Hotbot, Infoseek, and Excite is examples
of keyword search.
3. Subject with Keyword Search: - The combination of both the
subject and keyword search methods is called subject with keyword
search. The subject and keyword search is also known as
coordinated search. This search tools reaches you with closer to
your query and gives you the best output.
4. Meta Search Tool: - In search, search tools and search engines
are used in a parallel way to retrieve E-resources/information as
results. These tools are not used frequently for the complicated
searches. Mamma and Metacrawler are examples of Meta
Search. It is the more compact and organized instructions for
composing a query in search tools. A logically presented query
gives the maximum output.

Application of Internet in libraries

Internet provides instant access to billions of information

sources/database, which include books, reports, journals, video films,
sound recordings, and others on topics. Quality and success of any activity
depends on effective use of IT for supporting activities. The librarians and
information professionals have a vital role to play in bridging the
information gap. The potential of Internet based information sources can
be overemphasized in this context.

With the new information storage mechanisms gifted by digital technology

and the new access and dissemination methods made possible by
Internet; traditional libraries are losing relevance. Computers are changing
the way we communicate and how we think about intellectual property
and the ownership of information. Internet is the most talked about

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subject in library and information science field. If we take any journal of
library science we will surely find at least one article on Internet. It is
surely a landmark of achievement of the human race.

The Internet has become an indispensable resource for special libraries

worldwide to enhance the collection, improve services and operations.
Internet has become the very important information access point; it has
spread within the library community. Internet has incorporated into
different areas of library services and respective responsibilities. The
designations are changing from traditional to web based titles. This effect
can be seen from direct service positions to upper-level administrative
jobs to perform Internet related functions. The personnel’s are integrating
the traditional library service into modern technological services.

As library is meant for providing information and due to information

explosion, fast information services are required. Internet is working to
make the work easier and reduce the time lag in providing the information
even if it is located somewhere at far. Basically Internet services provide
the networking by connecting with other computers, including library
catalogs, moving files and texts, sending and receiving e-mail, and even
for searching of database. Some of the other functions are read news from
many different sources, software finding. Internet has not only helped in
accessing the information but also introduced new ways for storing,
moving, finding and communicating the information among themselves
and the users. Internet has opened various aspects for reference and
public services. As various dictionaries, census information and CIA World
Fact Book are available form numerous websites, so ready reference
service can be provided at greater speed.

The movement towards electronic information society is pushing libraries

to automation, CD-ROM networking and a digital based environment.
These libraries provide access to information via electronic gateways to
remote digital and digitized databases. The access is available to well-
established, wide range of Internet - accessible sources of information.
One can enter the world of three-dimensions, created by computer
imaging and also interact with the surroundings imagery and get
immersed in it, with appropriate responses from the “virtual environment’.
To cope up with the information needs with speed and relative accuracy
and reliability, the digital library is the most important and reliable resort,
and so knowledge discovery in these types of libraries becomes a
predominant factor.

Librarians need quick access to suppliers of books, journals and electronic

publications. Internet access is a simple and efficient method for accessing
and updating documentation and a seamless interface to catalogues of all
libraries. Our users need specialized information. A linguist will need
dictionaries and works on linguistic; a musician will require sound files and

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research on music, doctor’s medical information and the like. Internet links
librarians to the sites specializing in each and every topic any librarian will
want to search for users.

Internet has made simple and speedy purchase of information sources like
books, journal, and electronic publications. Many publishers’ catalogues,
tools like books in print as well as forms for ordering documents are
available on the Internet. Librarians can check current publications on the
area of activity of the institution that maintains the library; confirm the
price etc and place order online on the day of publication itself.

Internet has made possible saving of journal budget by sharing access to

electronic journals. Documentation has also become easy and efficient
because Internet and the computers enable the quick updating and
dissemination of required information. Internet can be used for providing
short range and long range reference services because various primary
and secondary sources of information are available online from many
sites.

Today in libraries access to on-line information service has become a

standard part of library practice and libraries have acquired CD-ROM’s and
have mounted them on campus networks for wide access. Scholarly
publication and many other forms of publications are increasingly moving
towards electronic delivery to end-user. In this context, the role of the
library and that of the librarian is changing from being the provider of
information to the facilitator of information. Under the circumstances
libraries need to redefine their role.

There are a number of Website in the field of library and information

science at national and international level. Some of the Website related to
it were www.dlaindia.org, www.ilaindia.org, nlindia.org/,
www.rrrlf.nic.in/rrrlf1.html, etc. and some of the international Website
includes www.ala.org, www.alise.org, www.ifla.org, www.clir.org,
www.oclc.com, etc.

Impact of Information

The impact of information can be discussed as under:-

Educational development: Education is something related to curriculum

and syllabus, teaching and learning, educational delivery, as well as
knowledge and skills. The mode of delivery has taken place differently due
to the development of ICT. Educational or instructional technology has
been acquiring a high profile in the education field over several decades:
in the 60s and 70s, radio and television; in the 80s and 90s, school texts,
video, and the computer as an instruction aid; since mid-1990, the

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computer and CD-ROM dominate the scenario; and, in more recent years,
the Internet, displacing “conventional technologies”.

Research and Development: Research and development means the

activities which helps in the promotion of research. The phrase research
and development is a creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in
order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of human,
culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new
applications. R&D activities are conducted by specialized units or centers
belonging to companies, universities and state agencies. Some of the
examples of R & D include CSIR, ICAR, UGC-Infonet, INFLIBNET, ERNET,
etc.

Business and Industries: Nowadays, information has a great

importance in the field of business as the level of competition and
production process and methods are rapidly increasing. It carries an
especial importance in the field of Marketing where companies always
keep an eagle eye on competitors and customers as to keep pace with
modern trends and analyze deeply the needs, demands and desires of
customers. Now the companies have separate research department as to
be updated and keep pace with modern environment and be more value
provider than others.

Government: The government has also synchronized its development

through ICT. Countries became developed through the use of ICT. The
government has its own independent organization through National
Informatics Centre. It has relation to different department of the country
creating website, providing information to every person, their programme,
different perspective plan and different skills.

Mass Media: With the advent of ICT we can receive information through
different channels like video, audio, radio, television, internet, CD, DVD,
etc. In the early days, news is text based only. Now, we can get news
through text based as well as video based and we can even get it through
mobile services as well. This is all due to ICT development which has an
impact on mass media and has direct impact on the people.

Daily life of a person: Impact of ICT can also be seen to the common
man. It has developed man into the most enlightened and well informed
citizens. ICT has provided available instruments and information,
communication, and social action channels that can be used to help
transmit basic knowledge and inform and educate the population
regarding social issues. It aspires to reduce the “digital divide” and attain
a world “connected” to the network. It has committed a person to lifelong
learning and to the building of a new social paradigm with economic
justice, equality, and well-being for all.

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Conclusion:

Now a day, innumerable types of information, in a large variety of

containers and in many different locations are all available. In the modern
society, the types of information and the media which present them have
become manifold and multifarious, offering men and women a vast
selection. Regardless of which group in a human society is discussed, each
one bases its action upon current information and discards and earlier
data. Philosophies emphasize the direct, experiential acquisition of
knowledge in the material, physical plane of existence as the most proper
form of information. So, no one can deny that information is vital for social
and educational development.

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