Understanding Information Systems: What They Do and Why We Need Them - Softcover

American Library Association

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0838908683 ISBN 13: 9780838908686

Publisher: American Library Association, 2004

Synopsis

In a world awash in data, information systems help provide structure and access to information. Since libraries build, manage, and maintain information systems, librarians and LIS students are often propelled onto the front lines of interactions between library users and technology. But what do librarians need to know to best meet their patron's needs? What exactly are information systems and how do they work? Information expert Ratzan uses plain language, humor, and everyday examples like baseball and arithmetic to make sense of ""information systems"" (computer hardware, software, databases, the Internet). He also explores their characteristics, uses, abuses, advantages, and shortcomings for your library. Fun exercises and appendixes are provided to illustrate key points in the book and measure understanding. You can be a technophobe and still learn about systems and subsystems to represent, organize, retrieve, network, secure, conceal, measure, and manage information. This basic introduction addresses both theoretical and practical issues, including: What questions to ask technology vendors to meet your library's needs; When technology may not be the solution to a problem; Secrets for managing an information system; How to make your information system a success; LIS instructors and students, IT staff, digital librarians, library generalists and managers will welcome this expert sourcebook, complete with exercises, references, examples, terms, and charts that clarify concepts.

About this title

About the Author

Lee Ratzan, PhD, is systems analyst at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He also serves as adjunct professor in Information Systems and Library Technology at the School of Communication, Information, and Library Studies (SCLIS) at Rutgers University. There he has taught more than 100 Internet training sessions for professional development courses. Prior positions included Princeton University Plasma Physics Laboratory and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. A tireless writer, he is former columnist for Byte, Newark Star Ledger, Wilson Library Bulletin and has written for Information Research, Unix Review, Linux Journal, The Unabashed Librarian, The Nation, Chance and The Humanist.

Edition details

• Publisher: American Library Association
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0838908683
• ISBN 13: 9780838908686
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 277