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Information is Power
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In such a changing,
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complex society formerly simple solutions to informational needs
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become complicated.
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Many of life’s problems which were solved by asking family members,
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friends or colleagues
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are beyond the capability of extended family to resolve.
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Where to turn for expert information
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and how to determine which expert advice to accept
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are questions facing many people today.
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Adding to societal changes today is an enormous supply of information.
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The individual now has more information available than any generation,
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and the task of finding that one piece of information
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relevant to his or her specific problem is complicated,
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time-consuming and sometimes even overwhelming.
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Coupled with the growing quantity of information
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is the development of technologies
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which enable the storage and delivery of more information
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with greater speed to more locations than has ever been possible before.
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Computer technology makes it possible
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to store vast amounts of data in machine-readable files,
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and to program computers to locate specific information.
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Telecommunication developments
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enable the sending of messages via television, radio,
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and very shortly,
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electronic mail to bombard people with multitudes of messages.
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Satellites have extended the power of communications
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to report events at the instant occurrence.
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Expertise can be shared world wide through teleconferencing,
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and problems in dispute can be settled without participants
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leaving their homes and/or jobs to travel to a distant conference site.
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Technology has facilitated the sharing of information
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and the storage and delivery of information,
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thus making more information available to more people.
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In this world of change and complexity,
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the need for information is of greatest importance.
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Those people who have accurate, reliable up-to-date information
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to solve the day-to-day problems,
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the critical problems of their business,
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social and family life,
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will survive and succeed.
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“Knowledge is power”
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may well be the most critical requirement of all people.