I recognize the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use
Introduction
Variations among groups and individuals are often described in social, cultural, and/or economic terms. For example, social dimensions of a population include age and gender distributions, educational background, and homelessness rates. Populations may be described by cultural features: ethnicity, language, religion, etc. They may also be described by economic condition and class. For librarians, appreciating these variations among and within populations is important because these characteristics tend to influence the way people use information. Since libraries serve the information needs of users, librarians must understand the social, cultural, and economic factors that affect information use if they are to meet information needs. Through my SLIS coursework, internship experience, and personal experience, I have gained an understanding of the relationship between social, cultural, and economic factors and information use. I also understand how important it is for librarians to appreciate this connection if they are to design services for current users and reach out to non-users.
Commentary
The internet has become one of the major means of information dissemination and access in our society. Even though the percentage of the population with online access increased steadily through the 80s, 90s, and into the first decade of this century, this increase has not been evenly distributed. Rather, some groups enjoy high rates of internet access while others do not. Moreover, there is significant variation among individuals with respect to their ability to use technology. Many lack the basic skills to effectively use information technology. Social, cultural, and economic factors are key to understanding this “digital divide”: the gap between the “digital haves” and the “digital have nots.”
In social terms, being undereducated, living in a rural area, and being disabled are all correlated with lower rates of access to the internet. The digitally privileged, on the other hand, are more likely to be educated and live in urban or suburban areas. Facility with using technology is also strongly correlated with age: pre-teens, teens, and young adults are more likely to know how to use information technologies in comparison to the elderly. In cultural terms, ethnicity is correlated with internet access. Whites and Asians enjoy greater access to the internet compared to Blacks or Hispanics. Finally, income is a significant indicator of the digital divide: higher income is correlated with greater access while a significant percentage of those with lower incomes do not have access to the internet.
Even though the internet is sometimes seen as a threat to libraries, librarians are ultimately committed to connecting people with the information they need. Librarians are therefore concerned about a social inequality that deprives individuals of an important resource in our increasingly complex society: information. In part, libraries help alleviate the divide by providing internet access in the library. The library becomes a place of inclusion for those who have been excluded from the digital revolution. Educational initiatives are another way for the library to help alleviate the gap between the digital “haves” and “have nots.” In general, the librarian who understands the social dimensions of the information divide is in a position to initiate more effective services and initiatives to help digitally underprivileged groups: Blacks, Hispanics, the poor, the disabled, the elderly, etc.
As mentioned above, the digital divide is not just a matter of access. It includes inequalities with respect to technological skills. This is an obvious concern for librarians since libraries rely on information technologies for finding and disseminating information. Many library resources are accessed online, whether in-house or through remote access. Negotiating some of these resources requires facility with searching databases. The digital divide alerts the librarian to the fact that some patrons may need extra support using these resources. Resources need to be designed to be as user-friendly as possible; special resources to help those excluded from the digital revolution may need to be provided.
Though the digital divide was covered in LIBR 200, my primary exposure to the reality of the digital divide is through my family. Here, I use the term “digital divide” not to distinguish those with internet access from those without it. I come from a white, educated, suburban, upper-middle class background. Every social, cultural, and economic characteristic associated with the digital “haves” applies to us. However, as indicated above, the digital divide concerns more than access. Rubin (2004), reporting on the work of Mossberger, Tolbert, and Stansbury, points out that “the digital divide must be understood as more than unequal access, but should also be understood as a skills gap” (p. 22). In this sense, age seems to play a particularly important role in defining the barrier between the digitally proficient and non-proficient. My dad, now in his early 70s, has had internet access for a decade, but has suffered from a skills gap in comparison to the younger members of his family, as well as his colleagues. It is only in the last year that he has finally begun to overcome that gap through persistent and often frustrating effort. My own youth preceded the rise of the internet, and so consequently I had to begin learning a set of unnatural computer skills as a young adult. Now, in my early 40s, I’ve become digitally proficient (in part through the training I’ve received in my SLIS courses). In this sense, I qualify as one of the “digital haves.” But at the same time, I recognize a qualitative gap between myself and my eleven year old nephew. He has grown up in an environment saturated with digital applications. He was downloading programs and searching YouTube when he was eight. This introduces yet another nuance of the digital divide. At this moment (but probably not for long), my computer skills are stronger than his. And yet, he seems to embrace and learn new technologies with an ease and naturalness foreign to both myself and my dad. Comparing myself to my nephew, the digital divide might also be described as a qualitative difference in attitude and comfort level when negotiating digital technologies. Again, age is the social factor that defines this divide.
These observations are relevant to libraries. While the librarian needs to be cautious about stereotyping people based on demographic statistics – each patron needs to be treated as a unique individual – the digital divide suggests that library services should reflect the differences between the young and the elderly. The library’s digital resources should combine advanced features to satisfy those users who have strong skills with user friendly interfaces that make resources accessible to users with weaker skills. In addition, educational resources need to be available to support those with weaker computer skills.
My SLIS coursework and personal experience has alerted me to the importance of recognizing additional social, cultural, and economic factors when designing library services. Usability (relative to web interfaces) was a persistent theme in LIBR 240. Of course, usability benefits all users, but it is particularly important for “skills challenged” users. Web designers also address the needs of visually impaired users by creating alternative text for web site images. My internship experience at UCSC reflected the need to address the needs of another demographic: younger users who are technology proficient (the “digital haves”). Meeting the needs of such users is reflected in initiatives to incorporate IM, SMS, and even video call services into reference services. Finally, I’ve had ample opportunity to observe my local library respond to social and cultural dimensions of my own community. I live in Watsonville, CA, which has a seventy percent Hispanic population. The library recognizes the information needs of its users in numerous ways: bilingual staff, a strong collection of Spanish-language materials, adult literacy classes, and homework support that particularly benefits struggling, second language learners.
Evidence
I am submitting two written assignments as evidence of my competency in this area. I am submitting a discussion posting I wrote in LIBR 200 on libraries and diversity. The posting is a response to an article by Sandra Rios Balderrama entitled “This Trend Called Diversity.” The presupposition of the article is that librarians must respond to the reality of social, cultural, and economic diversity. But she addresses the issue not in terms of resources and services. Rather, she is concerned with psychological and behavioral issues. As a future librarian, I will interact with staff and users who belong to different social, cultural, and economic groups. How can that encounter take place in ways that honor diversity? Among other things, the encounter requires a tolerance of ambiguity and frustration, authenticity, openness, trust, empathy, and a willingness to engage ‘the other’ in spite of whatever discomfort or challenges this may evoke.
The second assignment is a discussion posting I wrote for LIBR 210 on the “Librarian’s Changing Role.” The assignment focuses on the ways that the librarian’s role is changing due to technological innovation. It indirectly addresses the library’s response to changing social conditions and social demographics. Technological advances are not abstract events. They entail more and more people using new forms of technology. The librarian must respond to this social change by utilizing those same technologies; the library needs to connect with users through the media that patrons themselves are using. Correlated with technological innovation is the high percentage of the population that turn to the internet to meet their information needs. This social dimension of information use – the information seeking behavior of the “digital haves” – poses an obvious challenge to libraries. If more and more people turn to the web for information, who will be using libraries? In the discussion posting, I note Rubin’s (2004) point that an emphasis on the librarian’s role as information evaluator and educator are possible responses to this challenge.
Conclusion
The mission of libraries is meeting the information needs of users. Since information needs may be correlated with broad social trends or particular social, cultural, or economic groups, the librarian has a responsibility to understand the social, cultural, and economic dimensions of information use. Through my SLIS coursework and non-academic experience, I have gained that understanding. I recognize how social, cultural, and economic factors may influence information use, preparing me to best meet the information needs of diverse communities.
Reference
Rubin, R. (2004). Foundations of library and information science. New York: Neal-Schuman.