Chapter Four: Information Ecologies We define an information ecology to be a system of people, practices, values, and technologies in a particular local environment. In information ecologies, the spotlight is not on technology, but on human activities that are served by technology. A library is an information ecology. It is a place with books, magazines, tapes, films, and librarians who can help you find and use them. A library may have computers, as well as story time for two-year-olds and after-school study halls for teens. In a library, access to information for all clients of the library is a core value. This value shapes the policies around which the library is organized, including those relating to technology. A library is a place where people and technology come together in congenial relations, guided by the values of the library. A hospital intensive care unit is an information ecology. It has an impressive collection of people and technologies, all focused on the activity of treating critically ill patients. Human experts (nurses, physicians, therapists, ethicists) and machines (monitors, probes, and the many other devices in the ICU) all have roles to play in ensuring smooth, round-the-clock care. Though this is a setting with an obvious reliance on advanced technologies, it is clear that human expertise, judgment, empathy, cooperation, and values are central in making the system work. A self-service copy shop is another kind of information ecology. In our local branch of Kinko's, for example, there is a floor full of copy machines, paper stock of different colors and patterns, paper cutters, scissors and glue, computers that can be rented by the minute, and laser printers and scanners. There is also a computer expert who sits on a stool near the row of computers to answer questions. There are workers behind the counter who can help with copying. Customers ask one another where to find supplies and how to get started on an unfamiliar machine. It is a busy and hospitable place. | |
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