The contribution of “information science” to the social and ethical challenges of the information age

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce readers to the social and ethnical dimensions of information science. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides a literature survey on the concept of information science and its history. It describes the different developments involved in the development of information science as a research field. It present various definitions and domains of the field that represent different stages of information science evolution. Findings This paper presents an updated image of information science as a research field that takes into consideration a user centered approach and social and ethical issues that are involved in the information processes. Originality/value The paper describes the contribution of information science to social and ethical aspects of the information age such as: individual empowerment, education toward information awareness, information needs, the problem of decision making, manipulation of search result on the web and the role of the information professionals in diminishing digital divide.