Introduction to library research in the arts: What is information?

Information is produced by people living in culture and shaped by social norms and expectations. Information can mean different things to different people, depending on how they are situated in society.

It is usually dominant groups that have the material and social resources needed to create information, and that information represents their views on what is normal and necessary. We can thus say that information is ideological - it embodies a perspective, backed up by power.

Discussing this case study can help us understand the ideological dimension of information. Works of public art can be said to embody information about society. Statues make powerful statements about which perspectives we should use to "see" ourselves as a society. What happens when movements for social change assert that this sight is distorted and needs to be corrected?

When you read the news online or download a scholarly article, you are consuming information that required the investment of resources (money, people, time) to produce.

Academic institutions, government bodies, and companies produce information on a regular basis. Employees with the necessary expertise are hired to undertake the work of creating, verifying and distributing information. This work takes long hours and requires collaboration among many different people and organizations. Money supports the investment of equipment and pays the salaries of many participants in the process.

Discussing these two articles about newspaper paywalls can help us understand the economic dimensions of information.

In Western cultures, copyright law states that information can be owned and exploited as property as soon as it is set down in a fixed and tangible format. The law automatically considers information protected by copyright as soon as it is created by individuals or corporations.

We can understand the legal aspect of information by discussing this case study of the "Dancing Baby" court case. A record label sued a woman named Stephanie Lenz who had recorded this video of her toddler dancing with Prince's song "Let's Go Crazy" in the background and uploaded it to YouTube. The lawsuit resulted in an eight-year court battle.