Concepts of access and a preliminary framework for a multi-disciplinary understanding of access

This chapter addresses five questions, based on the prior reviews of the six research literatures:
1. What are the underlying conceptualizations of information?
2. What are common concerns about access-related issues?
3. What are common facets of the information-seeking process?
4. What are the roles of mediation and technology in accessing information?
5. What are the common influences and constraints on access to information?

Buckland's extensive discussion of the components and dimensions of information: three major conceptualizations of information: (1) process (change of what someone knows, an intangible process), (2) knowledge (an imparted intangible or its representation; change in beliefs, level of uncertainty; an intangible entity), and (3) thing (objects with the attribute of being informative; an expression, description, or representation; a tangible entity). Buckland does not present these as opposing definitions of information; rather, they are three forms, states, or elements.

The preliminary framework is then tested through a set of case studies with intentionally diverse sets of people accessing information. The initial list of six influences/constraints included physical, cognitive, affective, economic, social, and political. The revision added a mediative influence/constraint, reflecting the role of human mediators (rather than technology) as both helping and hindering access to information.

The second change introduced from testing the framework
is increased emphasis on the iterative nature of information
seeking and the prominence of context and outcomes
for information seekers.

Chapter 3

1. What are the underlying conceptualizations of information?
   Buckland:  identifies three major conceptualizations of information: (1) process (change of what someone knows, an intangible process), (2) knowledge (an imparted intangible or its representation; change in beliefs, level of uncertainty; an intangible entity), and (3) thing (objects with the attribute of being informative; an expression, description, or representation; a tangible entity).

Case:  significant differences in definitions of information are derived from different assumptions about (1) intentionality of the user or communicator, (2) utility of the information, (3) physicality of the information (material, conceptual, observable), and (4) truth or accuracy.

1. What are common concerns about access-related issues?

1. What are common facets of the information-seeking process?

1. What are the roles of mediation and technology in accessing information?

1. What are the common influences and constraints on access to information?

Chapter 4