The information profession is knowledge-based and service-oriented (Maack, 1992). In some form, the role of the information professional has always been to assist others with a quest for knowledge. Information and the knowledge to which it leads have evolved through many forms--speech, writing, print, telegraphy, broadcast media, and computer-based electronic media.
When the United States Constitution was written, it created a opportunities for the information professional. The postal service. The census. A legislative process that made provisions for freedom of speech, a free press, and intellectual property served to encourage openness and investigation (Hayes, 1992). After the Second World War, Information professionals in military intelligence caused the development of the computer and application software specific to information-processing. The United States government contributed to its own National Library and to the establishment of library facilities in rural areas.
When the Soviet Union launched a satellite called Sputnik, America funded additional support for the information profession so that it could develop sophisticated networks of powerful computers--allowing scientific and technical researchers to communicate quickly and to share precious computing time without travel. During this time, the number of Americans employed in agriculture and industry dropped sharply, while those with jobs centered around information processing increased dramatically (Hayes, 1992). As a result, the role of the information professional in society has become more important.