Information science and intelligence work: Mutual history lessons from the Cold War. Sponsored by SIG HFIS

Abstract

AbstractThis session is a continuation of a similar program presented at ASIS&T annual conference in 2001. The 2001 program explored the extent to which information science and intelligence work have, or could have, influenced the practices, work patterns, problems, and outcomes of each other in the past. This program considers the same types of issues but will be predominantly focused on the Cold War period. It will examine such questions as what intelligence workers learned about information science concepts and tools on their jobs, how this knowledge contributed to their work as intelligence professionals, what they should have known (or now wish they had known) about information science, and the role of intelligence in such areas as competitive intelligence, information retrieval, and indexing. Both historical and theoretical perspectives will be emphasized–along with some interesting stories. The panelists come from a variety of types of intelligence work in different countries over a period of about 50 years. We will NOT have to kill you after you hear this session!