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Post-professionalism: Transforming the information heartland
Book Reviews
331
REFERENCES 1. Bath Universitycomparative cataloguingstudy final report. Bath, Bath University Library (1975), 10~ in 9. 2. Humphreys, K.W. (1966). National Library functions. UNESCO bulletinfor libraries, 20, 158-169.
School of Library and Information Management South Australian Institute of Technology Adelaide, Australia
Post-Professionalism: lor Graham, London
A. C. FOSKETT
Transforming the Information Heartland. B. CRONIN, E. DAVENPORT. Tayand Los Angeles (1988). $46.00. 342 pp. ISBN o-947568-40-9.
Over the past decade, Blaise Cronin has devoted an appreciable part of his abundant energy to assimilating into the information world new developments from the world of management. This volume collects together his main articles on the subject. Although Lizzie Davenport has contributed considerably in recent years, two-thirds of the articles reprinted here are by Cronin alone, and the senior author’s views clearly dominate. After an introduction, the book is divided into five sections: The information industry; value accounting; information marketing; innovation and information; post-professionalism. The material occasionally shows its age-for example, in commenting on the now-abandoned Knowledge Warehouse project-but, for the most part, the discussions have retained their value well. The overall theme of the collection is spelled out in characteristic fashion in the introduction: The twin leitmotifsof this book are flux and fixation. In the space of a decade, the palisades which encircled the heartland have been tossed aside. Settlers have colonised the sacred precincts and reworked the land to their advantage. New turf, new players, new rules. Things ain’t what they used to be. But many wish they were, and the larger mentality in the world of practice and academia is alive and well. (p. 2)
This theme is developed to considerable effect throughout the book. My major reservation concerns a question which the authors rarely tackle- to what extent should the experiences of the information profession be considered unique? For example, engineering and many other professions have also been undergoing rapid changes, but they do not seem to be talking about post-professionalism. Why is information work different? At one point, Cronin and Davenport distinguish between disciplines that import and export ideas. Information studies fall in the first category and so, the authors claim, are vulnerable to takeover. But engineering also falls into this category: Is it vulnerable? Even within the field of library and information studies, more use of comparison might help. For example, a management matrix is presented for university libraries (p. 171). A first glance at it suggests that it might be equally applicable to (say) a public library, but the question of its uniqueness is not discussed. Another problem is that comments in one article may clash with those in another. In the context of reprinted material this is probably inevitable, but it would be interesting to know what the authors think. For example, we are told that detailed performance evaluation is here to stay; at the same time, we must cherish and encourage innovators. Yet innovators in their early years often do not emerge too well from traditional types of performance evaluation. How should these two points be reconciled? Again, the traditional professional associations for library and information work are scolded for their restrictive attitudes. Yet, they are simultaneously chastised for trying to expand their interests. What should the poor things be doing? The major thrust of this book is clearly very much in tune with the spirit of our times. Accounting, marketing, and so on, are all good buzz words with which modern information workers must be acquainted. No doubt these concepts will be duly absorbed. However, information management problems will certainly be with us for the rest of the century. This set of collected articles should provide an excellent lead-in to the discussions that will arise in the 1990s. Department of Library and Information Loughborough University Loughborough, UK
Studies
JACK MEADOWS
331
REFERENCES 1. Bath Universitycomparative cataloguingstudy final report. Bath, Bath University Library (1975), 10~ in 9. 2. Humphreys, K.W. (1966). National Library functions. UNESCO bulletinfor libraries, 20, 158-169.
School of Library and Information Management South Australian Institute of Technology Adelaide, Australia
Post-Professionalism: lor Graham, London
A. C. FOSKETT
Transforming the Information Heartland. B. CRONIN, E. DAVENPORT. Tayand Los Angeles (1988). $46.00. 342 pp. ISBN o-947568-40-9.
Over the past decade, Blaise Cronin has devoted an appreciable part of his abundant energy to assimilating into the information world new developments from the world of management. This volume collects together his main articles on the subject. Although Lizzie Davenport has contributed considerably in recent years, two-thirds of the articles reprinted here are by Cronin alone, and the senior author’s views clearly dominate. After an introduction, the book is divided into five sections: The information industry; value accounting; information marketing; innovation and information; post-professionalism. The material occasionally shows its age-for example, in commenting on the now-abandoned Knowledge Warehouse project-but, for the most part, the discussions have retained their value well. The overall theme of the collection is spelled out in characteristic fashion in the introduction: The twin leitmotifsof this book are flux and fixation. In the space of a decade, the palisades which encircled the heartland have been tossed aside. Settlers have colonised the sacred precincts and reworked the land to their advantage. New turf, new players, new rules. Things ain’t what they used to be. But many wish they were, and the larger mentality in the world of practice and academia is alive and well. (p. 2)
This theme is developed to considerable effect throughout the book. My major reservation concerns a question which the authors rarely tackle- to what extent should the experiences of the information profession be considered unique? For example, engineering and many other professions have also been undergoing rapid changes, but they do not seem to be talking about post-professionalism. Why is information work different? At one point, Cronin and Davenport distinguish between disciplines that import and export ideas. Information studies fall in the first category and so, the authors claim, are vulnerable to takeover. But engineering also falls into this category: Is it vulnerable? Even within the field of library and information studies, more use of comparison might help. For example, a management matrix is presented for university libraries (p. 171). A first glance at it suggests that it might be equally applicable to (say) a public library, but the question of its uniqueness is not discussed. Another problem is that comments in one article may clash with those in another. In the context of reprinted material this is probably inevitable, but it would be interesting to know what the authors think. For example, we are told that detailed performance evaluation is here to stay; at the same time, we must cherish and encourage innovators. Yet innovators in their early years often do not emerge too well from traditional types of performance evaluation. How should these two points be reconciled? Again, the traditional professional associations for library and information work are scolded for their restrictive attitudes. Yet, they are simultaneously chastised for trying to expand their interests. What should the poor things be doing? The major thrust of this book is clearly very much in tune with the spirit of our times. Accounting, marketing, and so on, are all good buzz words with which modern information workers must be acquainted. No doubt these concepts will be duly absorbed. However, information management problems will certainly be with us for the rest of the century. This set of collected articles should provide an excellent lead-in to the discussions that will arise in the 1990s. Department of Library and Information Loughborough University Loughborough, UK
Studies
JACK MEADOWS