Information science abstracts: Tracking the literature of information science. Part 1: Definition and map

Information Science Abstracts (ISA) is the oldest abstracting and indexing (A&I) publication covering the field of information science, A&I publicatio ns play a valuable "gatekeeping" role in identifying changes in a disciplin e by tracking its literature. This article briefly reviews the history of I SA as well as the history of attempts to define "information science" becau se the American Documentation Institute changed its name to ASIS in 1970. A new working definition of the term for ISA is derived from both the histor ical review and current technological advances. The definition departs from the previous document-cent definitions and concentrates on the Internet-do minated industry of today, information science is a discipline drawing on i mportant concepts from a number of closely related disciplines that become a cohesive whole focusing on information. The relationships between these i nterrelated disciplines are portrayed on a " map" of the field, in which th e basic subjects are shown as a central "core" with related areas surroundi ng it.