ASIS&T - The Information Society for the Information Age

Inside ASIS&T

ASIS&T Book Updates Top the News

The Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (ARIST), the flagship publication of the ASIS&T bookshelf, celebrates 40 years of information scholarship with the publication of its 40th volume. Published by Information Today, Inc. (ITI), on behalf of ASIS&T, the latest volume was introduced as part of the 2005 ASIS&T Annual Meeting festivities.

ARIST is celebrated for its comprehensive and insightful view of the field of information science and technology. The series encompasses all aspects of the field, and the range of topics varies considerably, reflecting the dynamism of the discipline and the diversity of theoretical and applied perspectives. Each year’s topics are selected by its editor. Blaise Cronin, dean of the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University , Bloomington , now marking his fifth year as series editor, has been selectively expanding its radius in an effort to connect information science more tightly with affiliated academic and professional communities. 

In his introduction to volume 40, Cronin reflects on the history of ARIST. “Since this is an anniversary volume, a little blowing of one’s own trumpet may be permitted,” Cronin writes. “According to the most recent ISI data I have seen, ARIST ranks first in terms of its impact factor when compared with more than 50 other serials in its subject group.”

The founding editor of ARIST was Carlos A. Cuadra, who edited volumes 1-10. He was succeeded by Martha E. Williams who served as editor through volume 35.

The 13 chapters in the current volume are organized into four major sections: Information and Society; Technologies and Systems; Information Needs and Use; and Theoretical Perspectives.

For more information about ARIST, Volume 40, visit the publisher’s website at www.infotoday.com. Books can be ordered through the publisher or through ASIS&T at its website: www.asis.org

ASIS&T Monograph Series

            Samantha Hastings, 2004 ASIS&T president and newly named director of the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina (see News about ASIS&T Members), has been named editor of the ASIS&T Monograph Series. In this role, she will acquire and develop new titles for the ASIS&T scholarly book series for researchers, students and practitioners in the field.

            John B. Bryans, editor-in-chief and publisher of ITI’s Book Publishing Division, says, “A dedicated readership comprising scholars, students and practitioners in library and information science and related technical fields has encouraged us to continue building the series. ASIS&T and ITI have been looking for an editor with the background and energy to bring it to the next level. . . . Samantha Hastings has agreed to assume this role.”

Prior to accepting her current position at the University of South Carolina , Hastings was a member of the faculty at the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton , serving as interim dean from 2004–2005.

The ASIS&T Monograph Series is a line of scholarly books designed principally for academic and professional readers in the field of information science and technology. The series comprises a range of practical, theoretical and historical topics and includes both individually authored works and multi-contributor, edited volumes.

Recent Monograph Titles

            The ASIS&T Monograph Series has grown with the recent publication of two new books, Covert and Overt: Recollecting and Connecting Intelligence Service and Information Science, edited by Robert V. Williams and Ben-Ami Lipetz, and Theories of Information Behavior, edited by Karen E. Fisher, Sanda Erdelez and Lynne (E.F.) McKechnie.

            Covert and Overt is the first scholarly book to present an in-depth exploration of the historical relationships between covert intelligence work and information/computer science. Editors Williams and Lipetz contribute their own chapters along with those by intelligence professionals and technologists from a range of U.S. and British agencies and armed services. The book examines the strides made during World War II to utilize technology in the gathering and dissemination of government/military intelligence and then traces the evolution of the relationship between spymasters, computers and systems developers through the years of the Cold War.

Robert V. Williams is distinguished emeritus professor, School of Library and Information Science, University of South Carolina ( Columbia ). Ben-Ami Lipetz is emeritus professor of information science at the University at Albany , State University of New York. Covert and Overt: Recollecting and Connecting Intelligence Service and Information Science (hardcover; $49.50; ISBN 1-57387-234-2) may be ordered from ITI or from the ASIS&T website. ASIS&T members get a substantial discount off the cover price.

Theories of Information Behavior is designed as a reference to both well-established and newly proposed theories of information behavior and includes contributions from 85 scholars from 10 countries. Each of 72 theory descriptions covers origins, propositions, methodological implications, usage, links to related conceptual frameworks and listings of authoritative primary and secondary references. Introductory chapters by Marcia J. Bates, Brenda Dervin and T. D. Wilson explain key concepts, theory–method connections and the process of theory development.

“The editors have done a fine job in persuading 70+ contributors to summarize their (and/or others’) work on information behavior in consistent format,” said Blaise Cronin, editor of the Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (ARIST). Cronin said the book’s value is two-fold: “First as a rich source of established theories from many domains outside of LIS and second as a conspectus of current thinking and theorizing within LIS on information behavior.”

Karen E. Fisher is an associate professor at the Information School of the University of Washington . Sanda Erdelez is an associate professor at the School of Information Science and Learning Technologies at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Lynne (E. F.) McKechnie is associate dean and associate professor at the Faculty of Information and Media Studies at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. Theories of Information Behavior (hardcover; $49.50; ISBN 1-57387-230X) is available at both the ITI and ASIS&T websites at a substantial discount to ASIS&T members.

ASIS&T Thesaurus Updated

            ITI has announced the publication of the 3rd edition of the ASIS&T Thesaurus of Information Science, Technology and Librarianship, edited by Alice Redmond-Neal and Marjorie M.K. Hlava. The ASIS&T Thesaurus is recognized as the authoritative reference to the terminology of information science, technology and librarianship. The newly updated and expanded third edition is an essential resource for indexers, researchers, scholars, students and practitioners in the field.

A new optional feature of the third edition is a CD-ROM including all terms referenced in the print thesaurus along with Data Harmony’s Thesaurus Master software. In addition to powerful search and display features, the CD-ROM allows users to add, change and delete terms and to learn the fundamentals of thesaurus construction while exploring the professional vocabulary of library and information science and technology. The thesaurus is available as a print volume only (ISBN 1-57387-243-1; $49.95) or in combination with the CD-ROM (ISBN 1-57387-244-X; $79.95).

Marjorie M.K. Hlava is president, chairman and founder of Access Innovations, Inc. Alice Redmond-Neal is chief lexicographer and Data Harmony training manager at Access Innovations, Inc. For more information or to order the thesaurus, contact the publisher at 800-300-9868 or log on to the ITI website at www.infotoday.com.

News about ASIS&T SIGs

            SIG/History and Foundations of Information Science (SIG/HFIS) has launched a fully revised website at www.asis.org/SIG/SIGHFIS/index.htm. Among the areas of interest already on board are news about membership, annual meetings, publications and quotations. SIG/HFIS chair Julian Warner invites you to “[l]earn when the ‘whole earth [was] girded by telegraph cables’ and when the idea of the ‘gestalt of the computer’ was first formulated.”

SIG/International Information Issues (SIG/III) has announced four winners of its InfoShare awards for 2006. This program provides annual memberships in ASIS&T for information professionals from developing countries who are nominated by ASIST&T colleagues and selected by vote of the SIG officers. Learn about the winners at the InfoShare page of the SIG/III website: www.asis.org/SIG/SIGIII/index.htm

SIG/Information Needs, Seeking and Use (SIG/USE) is participating in the monthly HIB Spot webcasts produced by the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Information Science and Learning Technologies. In February, guests Barbara Wildemuth and Carol Barry discussed their current Delphi study about the variables that should be included in studies of online searching behaviors. HIB Spot is hosted by Sanda Erdelez. Find HIB Spot and its archives at http://lisradio.missouri.edu.

News about ASIS&T Chapters

In February, the New Jersey Chapter of ASIS&T (NJ-ASIS&T) celebrated its 30th anniversary of service to information professionals throughout the state with a program honoring the chapter’s past chairs. The evening’s special guest was ASIS&T president Michael R. Leach, director of the Physics Research Library, Harvard University . Nicholas Belkin, past president of ASIS&T, was also among the guests. Past chairs expected to attend were Roger Grant Smith; David Johnson; Janet (Chapman) Muscarella; Louis Torre; Lynette Schneider; Maurica Fedors; Irene Gyori; Deborah Juterbock; Mark Thompson; Greg Paris; and Lauren Harrison.

The Northern Ohio Chapter of ASIS&T (NORASIST) presented Google Nation, a look at the ins and outs of Google's innovative and useful information resources, such as Google Scholar, Google Print, Google Maps and Google Earth, as its March program. Mary Lee Jensen, head of instructional services, Kent State University , and Thomas Edwards, map librarian, Cleveland Public Library, presented the program.

News about ASIS&T Members

Samantha K. Hastings, most recently associate professor of information science and fellow of the Texas Center for Digital Knowledge at the University of North Texas , Denton , has been named director of the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at the University of South Carolina . Her appointment is effective August 1.

OBITUARY

Everett Brenner

Everett (Ev) Brenner, longtime ASIS&T member and giant of the information world, passed away peacefully in late January. He was 79.

Ev was widely regarded as one of the pioneers of information systems. For more than 30 years he was head of the abstracting and indexing service of American Petroleum Institute, where he helped develop and build some of the best discipline-oriented databases. After his retirement from API in 1988, he took on a number of consulting projects and active roles in several important international conferences. In 1994, he started an annual Search Engine meeting, which continues to bring together commercial search engine developers, academics and corporate professionals to learn from one another.

Ev is survived by Joan, his wife of more than 55 years, of Port Washington, NY; his children, Eric of Kings Point, NY; Cantor Amy and Dr. Howard Mitz of Sugar Hill, NH; and Dr. Daniel and Beth Brenner of Granite Springs, NY; and grandchildren Aden and Jack, Ben and Rebecca.

Contributions to honor Ev Brenner’s memory may be sent to Community Mainstreaming Associates Inc., 99 Quentin Roosevelt Blvd. , Garden City , NY 11530 . Community Mainstreaming Associates Inc., is an agency founded by Ev's wife Joan. It provides residential, supportive living and related services for people with disabilities. Their son Eric was its first resident.

ASIS&T Presents Annual Audit