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This article attempts to measure the scientific productivity in terms of number of papers published in journals by authors in the field of information science, compared to the publication pattern for science in general. Information science has been defined by the American Society for Information Science as the science that investigates the properties and behavior of information, the forces governing the flow of information, and the means of processing information, for optimum accessibility and usability. According to this definition, information science emerges as an umbrella-like discipline. If the basic professional society in this discipline is considered to be the American Society for Information Science, then its prime indexing journal may be considered to be "Information Science Abstracts," and its prime review vehicle may be the "Annual Review of Information Science and Technology."

This paper is a survey of a number of issues that are concerned with information science, of importance outside the field as well as within, and generally caused by or related to changes in technology. Issues ore considered in four broad categories, those concerned with computers, communications, image recording and information content. Their importance lies in the fact that how they are resolved will affect the transition of the United States from a primarily industrial to a post industrial society. The intent of the article is to present the issues and their possible impact rather than to offer solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]