Information science in 2010: A Loughborough University view

This article presents issues relating to the future direction of the inform ation science discipline. A 10-year time horizon is chosen so that predicti ons will not be influenced unduly by change in the information environment. To know where the discipline is going relies on knowledge of where it has been; this trajectory is investigated in terms of its historical developmen t. The scientific basis of information science is addressed, together with issues relating to an all encompassing definition for the term "information ." Moving from theory into practice raises further issues, and an acknowled gment is made to the gradual change from its genesis as an academic discipl ine in the 1950s to its practitioner base in the 1990s, It is suggested tha t the wheel will turn full circle by 2010, during which time a lot of effor t will be expended unifying methodologies that underpin different perspecti ves of the multifaceted term, information. Core activities are suggested, a nd indication made to exemplar application areas that allow the best practi ce to be identified. Management issues, such as performance measurement, ar e also alluded to. The conclusions drawn show that information science will make a significant contribution to other disciplines (e.g., manufacturing, business, healthcare), and that a number of opportunities and challenges w ill present themselves.