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Reframing Information: From “Information as Thing” to “Everything as Document” to the Identity of iSchools — Conversations with Michael Buckland

Michael Buckland, a pivotal figure in information science, has profoundly shaped the field through his scholarship and leadership. In this episode of InfoFire, Buckland engaged with me on foundational concepts, practical applications, and historical perspectives, offering provocative critiques that challenge conventional thinking. He declared “information” a problematic term— “It is a bad word; it is to be abolished”—arguing that its overloaded meanings obscure clarity. Similarly, he labeled bibliometrics a “pseudoscience,” questioning its methodological rigor. These rhetorical provocations underscore his effort to reframe information science around precise, document-centric frameworks.

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FeaturedInfoFire

LLMs, AI, and the Future of Research Evaluation: A Conversation with Mike Thelwall on Informetrics and Research Impact

In this episode of InfoFire, I sit down with Professor Mike Thelwall, a well accomplished scholar of Informetrics, to explore the intersections of Large Language Models (LLMs) and research evaluation. We delve into how LLMs are reshaping the landscape of research assessment, examining the promises they hold and the challenges they present in ensuring fair, meaningful, and context-aware evaluations.

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INFideos

Surfacing the ‘Silent Foundation’

The 12th episode in the What Makes This Paper Great? video series features “Surfacing the ‘Silent Foundation’: Which Information Behaviour Theories are Relevant to Public Library Reference Service?” by Amy VanScoy, Africa S. Hands, Katarina Švab, and Tanja Merčun. The paper was presented at the 2024 Information Seeking in Context conference in Aalborg, Denmark. A new 12-minute video at INFIDEOS takes viewers through the highlights of the paper. For fun, an opinionated but cuddly group of Library and Information Science (LIS) students join the virtual conversation. 

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FeaturedInfoFire

Whither Open Access? A Fireside Chat with Dr. Jean Claude Guedon, a Sage on the OA Stage

Tune in to this episode of InfoFire, where Dr. Jean-Claude Guédon delves into the history and future possibilities of Open Access, offering his unique perspective on where the movement has been and where it could be heading. Our discussion covered a broad spectrum of topics, including the mission of Open Access, the economics of funding and various business models, the controversial issue of Article Processing Charges (APCs), as well as debates surrounding scientific metrics, copyright issues, and more.

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INFideos

Information as Thing by Michael Buckland—What Makes This Paper Great?

Over 14 minutes, this 10th episode of the What Makes This Paper Great? video series unpacks, critiques, and celebrates Information as Thing. The video begins by noting its citation record; profiles the author; and explains the paper’s method of conceptual analysis. Information As Thing is then situated alongside other definitions that similarly cast information as having multiple types.

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