TY - GEN
T1 - The cybernavigators of Chicago public library and the'informatics moment'
AU - Williams, Kate
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Community informatics research examines how people in their everyday lives, in civil society, are navigating the information revolution. An empirical study is underway in Chicago, USA, of the process whereby public library patrons get help with using computers and the internet. This involves the public library providing 1) networked public access computers and 2) helping staff called CyberNavigators. The focus here is on the latter, and four key findings have emerged. First, the process of getting help from a CyberNavigator is a particular instance of a central process in the information society that we call the'informatics moment.' Second, this informatics moment entails four types of digital literacy work. Third, social capital is a critical contributing factor. And finally, by means of this informatics moment and the staffing arrangement that has evolved to support it, the conscious invention of the branch public library of the future is underway.
AB - Community informatics research examines how people in their everyday lives, in civil society, are navigating the information revolution. An empirical study is underway in Chicago, USA, of the process whereby public library patrons get help with using computers and the internet. This involves the public library providing 1) networked public access computers and 2) helping staff called CyberNavigators. The focus here is on the latter, and four key findings have emerged. First, the process of getting help from a CyberNavigator is a particular instance of a central process in the information society that we call the'informatics moment.' Second, this informatics moment entails four types of digital literacy work. Third, social capital is a critical contributing factor. And finally, by means of this informatics moment and the staffing arrangement that has evolved to support it, the conscious invention of the branch public library of the future is underway.
KW - Agency
KW - Civil society
KW - Community informatics
KW - Helpseeking
KW - Information society
KW - Public library
KW - Social capital
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79952610096&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79952610096&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/1940761.1940826
DO - 10.1145/1940761.1940826
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:79952610096
SN - 9781450301213
T3 - ACM International Conference Proceeding Series
SP - 472
EP - 477
BT - Proceedings of the 2011 iConference
T2 - 6th Annual Conference on 2011 iConference: Inspiration, Integrity, and Intrepidity, iConference 2011
Y2 - 8 February 2011 through 11 February 2011
ER -