Communication in LIS: Models in Work and

Research

03/10/2012

Dorcas KrubuPhD Candidate

Department of Library and Information ScienceUniversity of the Western Cape

South Africa

What is communication?

It is

a tra

nsact

ion

betwee

n the

sender

and th

e

rece

iver

.

Communication as Transaction

Communication as Transaction

Old Linear Model: Shannon; Weaver and Laswell

Example is a book

Communication Models

Linear Model

Fits for a Communist System

Does not fit for LIS because receivers are very important

Advantages Simple One way

communication Only the source is

important

Disadvantages Rigid Passive Gives room for

sociological factors Gives room for

psychological factors Source and receiver

exist in social structures

Communication Models Relevant to LIS

Mass Media Models

User/Recipient Centres Model

Rettig’s Model of the Communication Process in LIS

Communication Models Relevant to LISMass Media Models

Sender and receiver are tied to a larger social structure

Mass media models organize the centrality of the receiver

Projects the concepts of gatekeepers and opinion leaders

Communication Models Relevant to LISUser/Recipient Centred Model

Escarpit and Hatt revised the Linear Model of Shannon & Weaver and Laswell

Not a one-way communication User/reader is very important

Context is important Aim of the user

Communication Models Relevant to LISRettig’s Model of the Communication Process in LIS

Locates the LIS user as the centre of the communication process

Sees the reader at the beginning of the process

The process is a series of communication and exchange between LIS stuff and the reader

However, so much can go wrong due to the noise from the reader

Effective Communication with Clients