The Information Environment

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to

• Describe the concepts of information and the issues surrounding information in society in Aoteaora New Zealand, and globally.
• Explain, compare and contrast the roles of information organisations (such as libraries, archives and records centres), and of information professionals (such as librarians, archivists and records managers).
• Discuss and recognise the way professional ethics, values and foundational principles influences how library and information organisations and professionals function in society.

Course content

What is information?

• Defining and identifying ‘information’ 
• The information society
• Who creates information?

Library and information organisations in society

• The development of libraries, archives and recordkeeping through time, globally
• The development of libraries, archives and recordkeeping in Aotearoa New Zealand
• Different types of libraries and library services (including public libraries, school libraries and children’s services in public libraries, tertiary libraries, special libraries, national libraries)
• Different types of archives, records and information services (including national archives, collecting and in-house archives, community archives, records centres and museums)

Library and Information organisations and professionals in society, in local, national and global contexts

• Operating in a bicultural environment
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi 
• Operating in a culturally diverse context
• Operating within legal, economic and political contexts
• Operating within an evolving technological context
• Professional Associations
• Professionalism, codes of conduct and ethics
• Continuing professional development and transferable skills
• Future directions: challenges and opportunities

Assessment

100% internally assessed

Textbooks

No textbooks are required for this course

Computer and internet requirements

This course is delivered online, so you will access the course and do your study online, which generally includes reading and doing activities, watching videos, downloading content, and writing and submitting assessments online.

For online learning you need:

• Access to a laptop or desktop computer
• Reliable broadband internet and a data plan

Find out more about online learning

If you are unsure if your current computer or internet access will allow you to study online please contact us.