The value of information

Governments, economists and social scientists all recognize the increasing value of information on the world stage.

• "Knowledge-based industries are growing faster than any other sector of the Canadian economy" (Industry Canada, 1996, p.1)

• "The emerging global economy is characterized by greatly increased flows of information and financial capital" (Statistics Canada: 1996, p.9)

• the significance of information is reflected in the shifting labour force. "It is estimated that by the end of this century something like two-thirds of all work will be information work" (Kemp, 1992, p. 3)

Information is vital to the success of organizations and businesses, workers and supervisors, employers and the employed, and those looking for work.

• "the community's economy benefits when business people use library resources to make wise business decisions, employees use them to improve their job skills, or the disadvantaged use them to help break the cycle of poverty" (Godwin, 1991, p.53)

The acquisition of information is not an easy process. Public libraries are well positioned to make information (in many formats) available and accessible to the broadest possible community, and do so in a timely fashion.

• Information is an elusive commodity, and few people "are accustomed to thinking in terms of what they gain from library or information use, either in terms of time saved or mistakes avoided, increased knowledge, better decisions taken and so on" (Oppenheim, 1986, p.25)

• "as we prepare to enter the 21st century, libraries have a major role in providing the information vital to the productivity and economic growth of ... the nation"(Kraushaar, 1990, p.168)