security, and administration) are still largely unknown. It would There is no question that there is a great increase in the amountand diversity of material available digitally—but will this nec-therefore be instructive, as the Web develops, to consider Ora-

vec’s genre-responsive design as a focus for concentrating on essarily mean that we will somehow find more leisure time towatch more TV—albeit in distance mode with the assistance ofthe ethical and social dimensions of CSCW applications via

the Web. some sort of screen-based, remote control-operated navigationsystems? Will parents permit their children to play video gamesinstead of doing their homework? Or will the video gamesbecome the homework?

Leslie Regan Shade Kinney asserts (p. 57) that ‘‘much of the construction ofConstructive Advice the ‘Information Superhighway’ is taking place for the specific221 Patterson Ave. purpose of delivering entertainment services.’’ I get the feelingOttawa, Ontario K1S 1Y4, Canada that I have missed something here, so let me draw an analogy.E-mail: shade@well.com Public libraries were conceived of as a social institution which

was useful for social upliftment and for the benefit of the nationas a whole. Indeed, they were the ‘‘Universities of the Poor.’’Providing access to the prevailing technology (books) was afundamental mission. With the wisdom of hindsight, and aspublic libraries have matured, we know that a considerableEntertainment Technology and Tomorrow’s Information component of the use made of these institutions is, in fact, forServices. Tom Kinney. Medford, NJ: Information Today; 1995: entertainment. Perhaps it should be added that, in any case,

115 pp. Price: $34.95. (ISBN 1-57387-006-4.) entertainment is not ‘‘bad’’ as opposed to information accessand education.

The interrelationship, and often blurred distinction, between I would suggest that the NII may be demonstrating elementsentertainment and information is a familiar conundrum for pub- of this shift from information dissemination to an entertainmentlic librarians and teachers. People can play games in order to wonderland, but that this does not necessarily change the impor-learn, or to avoid learning. Kinney challenges us, in this book, tance of, or the necessity for, the NII. Nor does it necessarilywith the thesis that technology is tipping this sometimes fine follow that technology will cause or prevent this.balance quite definitely towards the side of entertainment. The Interestingly enough, some of today’s more pressing issues,Information Age, he contends, was born as the result of the such as censorship, intellectual property, and privacy on theconvergence of various digital and communications technolo- Net, are not foreshadowed in this book. These are importantgies, but has now grown into a mature ‘‘Age of Digital Enter- considerations for both entertainment and information services.tainment.’’ This demonstrates once again the hard task we face, as informa-

There are several reasons for this. One reason is that every- tion professionals, of predicting where technology will takething is claimed to be ‘‘information’’—including video games us—or whether we, in fact, have the opportunity to make itand virtual reality theme parks. Another reason is provided by take us to where we want to be. There seems to be a gapthe mergers that we see taking place between entertainment, between the possibilities offered by technology, and how itmedia, and information technology corporations. This, Kinney actually comes to be used.maintains, will mean that the distinction between entertainment Kinney concludes his book with five predictions. Of these,and information delivery will become even more blurred, with two have not yet transpired. Firstly, he believes that there willthe former having a profound effect on the latter. If this thesis be continued parallel, and therefore separate, development ofis tenable, the author views it as an opportunity to provide new, microcomputers and CD players. It would appear that this isimaginative, and possibly more effective information services, inaccurate, given current developments. Secondly, the develop-although what these might be is not covered in any great detail. ment of video-on-demand information services, similar toIf technological developments are motivated by entertainment video-on-demand entertainment services, is overestimated. Weinterests, this may have important implications for the further have not yet seen much of these—and with Net developments,development of the National Information Infrastructure (NII) . who knows if we ever will. The Net itself is here wholly under-

It is recognized that there are, of course, two distinct areas estimated, even ignored, both as a content provider and as aof development that contribute to this trend. The first is the delivery mechanism.development of the technology itself—what is being developed, Kinney is entirely aware that the scene-building that he isas well as who is developing it. The other area—who is contrib- attempting to do in this book is fraught with difficulties. Havinguting content and why—is scarcely addressed at all, and it said that, he adds an interesting and new perspective not onlyseems to this reviewer that this is an important oversight, as it to the debate on the possible impacts of technology on informa-is the content itself which might differentiate between ‘‘pure tion and entertainment services, but also highlights the impor-entertainment’’ and ‘‘pure information.’’ tance of seeking clarity between these two intersecting areas of

The book has an imprint of 1995, and thus we can assume knowledge acquisition, suggesting that there is still a great dealthat the views and data contained were developed or gathered of work to be done in this area.during 1994 or earlier. Naturally enough, we find that both The work is generously illustrated with diagrams, and con-the technology, and its implications, have developed somewhat cludes with a glossary of terms related to entertainment technol-differently from this, now dated, perspective. For example, the ogy, a summary of the key points in each chapter, and an index.author has found it necessary to include, in the body of the text,fairly lengthy ‘‘technical notes,’’ which serve to explain, insome detail, the functionality of the technologies mentioned. Ifound these to be disruptive and distracting, interrupting the

Sue Myburghcentral argument rather than contributing to it. In my opinion,the same purpose could have been better served by placing such School of Communication and Information Studies

University of South Australianotes either at the end of each chapter, or preferably at the endof the book. St. Bernard’s Road

Magill SA 5072My major concern, however, is that the connection betweenhow information is created, stored, and disseminated, and what Adelaide, Australia

E-mail: sue.myburgh@unisa.edu.aupeople view and do with such information, is not made clear.

184 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE—February 1998

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