Content area
Abstract
This thesis examines the discourse of the information age and its influence on information literacy and social networking websites. The information age proposes that society has been dramatically changed by the recent advancements of information and information technology. Discourse of the information age emphasizes a transformation in the economy from industrial to information capital, creating an emergent society with new social and cultural possibilities. The information age is a ubiquitous concept, manifesting specifically in two areas: library and information studies (LIS) and social networking websites. Information literacy, the American Library Association’s education strategy for the information age, empowers library patrons with information skills to participate in the emerging era. Social networking websites (Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter) represent information-based businesses like those predicted by information age theorists. This thesis concludes that the arrival of the information age is impossible to discern, but the influence of information and information technology is significant.