Skip to main content
Log in

The voluntary sector in ‘the information society’: a study in division and uncertainty

  • Articles
  • Published:
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

At a time of rapid social, political and economic change in Britain, voluntary and community groups are being encouraged to assume a more prominent role in general welfare provision. Accordingly, their ‘need to know’ has never been more acute. Yet the information environment of the voluntary sector is also in a state of flux and transition. Profound changes in the institutional world of information provision hold significant implications for the way voluntary and community groups seek and disseminate information. In this paper these structural changes are outlined and the findings presented of an extensive investigation into information needs and usage in the voluntary sector.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barugh, J. (1984) Community information and the public library,Journal of Librarianship, 16:2, 73–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenton, M. (1985)The Voluntary Sector in British Social Services, Longmans, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bunch, A. (1982)Community Information Services: Their Origin, Scope and Development, Clive Bingley, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Council for Voluntary Service National Association (1983),Acquiring and Disseminating Information, Guide-lines II.1.1, CVSNA, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deacon, D. and Golding, P. (1988), The information needs of voluntary and community groups, Centre for Mass Communication Research, University of Leicester.

  • Golding, P. (1983) Rethinking common sense about social policy, in D. Bull and P. Wilding (eds)Thatcherism and the Poor, Child Poverty Action Group, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golding, P. (1989) Citizenship and political communications, in M. Ferguson (ed.)Public Communications: The New Imperatives, London, Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, S. (1989)The Voluntary Sector Under Attack?, Islington Voluntary Action Council, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, N. (1981)Voluntary Social Services, Blackwell and Robertson, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kempson, E. (1978) The needs of the information poor,Public Libraries — the Future, proceedings of the Public Libraries Group Weekend School, Heriot-Watt University, 7–10 April 1978, Public Libraries Group of the Library Association, 54–61.

  • Local Government Information Unit (1986)Information Briefing nos 6–9, LGIU, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Office of Arts and Libraries (1988)Financing our Public Library Service: Four Subjects for Debate, Cmnd 324, HMSO.

  • Prochaska, F. (1988)The Voluntary Impulse: Philanthropy in Modern Britain, Faber and Faber, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raine, J.W. and Webster, B. (1985) To fund or not to fund: deciding the pattern of local authority grant aid to voluntary and community organisations,Local Government Studies, May/June, 16–24.

  • Taylor, M. (1980).Street Level: Resource Centres and their Users, Community Projects Foundation, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sills, A., Taylor, G. and Golding, P. (1988)The Politics of the Urban Crisis, Hutchinson, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stokes, P. (1987) Information services for the voluntary sector: what public libraries can do,Public Library Journal, Jan/Feb, 1–4.

  • Waters, H. (1985) Racism and the library service, in B. Baker and N. Harvey (eds)Publishing for People, London Labour Library, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolfenden Committee (1978)The Future of Voluntary Organisations, Croom Helm, London.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Deacon, D., Golding, P. The voluntary sector in ‘the information society’: a study in division and uncertainty. Voluntas 2, 69–88 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01398671

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01398671

Keywords

Navigation