Information professions could become disconnected from users

Information professions including librarianship, archives, publishing and journalism could become increasingly disconnected from their users. This is one of the conclusions of a new book edited by David Nicholas and Ian Rowlands of the CIBER group at University College London, UK.

Digital Consumers, published by Facet Publishing, is based on intensive research by the CIBER Group. It states that the digital transition has led to disintermediation, easy access and massive information choice. Professional skills are increasingly being performed without the necessary context, rationale and understanding.

The book states there is a need for a new belief system to help information professionals survive and engage in a ubiquitous information environment, where they are no longer the dominant players nor the first-choice suppliers.