Book Review

Information Sciences: A Unified View Through a Systems-Approach /G Bhattacharyya .-  Calcutta :Indian Association of Special Libraries, Calcutta, 1978

56 p.

 The book has been published nearly four decades earlier, when the concept of ‘Information Science’ has been crystallized theoretically. Author has defined the concept of ‘Information Science’ from System Approach view point. He has raised six questions in the preface of the book and clarified and analyzed them through thirteen chapters. The questions are as follows –

a)      What is “information” to a professional in the field of information services? 

b)      What is “information science”?

c)       Is “information science” a unit of science, or a federation of sciences? 

d)      What is the scope of “Information Science or Sciences”? 

e)      What is an “Information system”? 

f)       How to delimit extension of each of the viable professional specializations in the field of information?

He has embodied ‘Information’ as system entity in the first five chapters. In the sixth chapter “National Development and Information”, author has described the facets – a) Physical or vital facet; b) Emotional facet; c) Intellectual facet; and intuitive facet. Author has defined ‘Genesis of the Information Systems’ and explained ‘Normative Principles of Information Systems’ on the basis of Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science in the seventh chapter. He has defined ‘Information Science’ as disciplines and described its scope by discussing “Information Oriented Applied Disciplines”, ”Fundamental Information Disciplines”, “Tool Disciplines”. Author has analyzed ‘Information System’ in the context of  attributes of ‘Profession’ and discussed necessity of professional growth through training programmes through the following chapters -   “Professional Specialization in the Field of Information”, Educational Programmes in Library and Information Science”, ”Information Sciences”.

Author has defined the theoretical core of ‘Information Science’ very briefly in this book.  This theoretical basic is necessary knowledge for the Information Professionals in the age of ‘Information Explosion’ because without basic theoretical knowledge only application tools cannot provide us the intellectual resources for fundamental disciplinary growth.