FACULTY OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA, CAWANGAN JOHOR, KAMPUS SEGAMAT.

IMD 312
REFERENCES AND INFORMATION SERVICES FOR INFORMATION
AGENCIES

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT
REFLECTIVE WRITING

PREPARED BY:
ZULAIKA BINTI MOHD TOURIOU @ IDRUS
JIM1105B

NO. MATRIX:
2018220712

PREPARED FOR:
MADAM AZURA BINTI ABDUL JAMIL @ KAMARUDZZAMAN

DATE OF SUBMISSION:
30 NOVEMBER 2020
Reflective writing

I have taken or studied diploma in information management for 2 and a half years
where there are 5 semesters at University Technology Mara Johor. Basically, this programme
aims to fulfil the needs for the information and knowledge workers who play a vital role in the
information industries. The graduates are educated to gain knowledge on information literacy,
information handling, information communication and technology applications. As I can see ,
the importance of information and knowledge as the lifeblood of the information society to
improve the quality of life, economy and working environment such as better decision making,
without information and knowledge as a resource it will cause all of their affairs vulnerable to
disruption, hence our country has been transformed from the industrial age to the information
age, the proof is the progress of the mega project on Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) to
support the information industries, whereby Cyberjaya has been chosen as the place for the
smart city to support the industries. Therefore, the main plan is to equip the graduates with
knowledge on information management to accomplish the government aspire towards their
vision. This program or course is not very well known and many do not see this course as a
very important field in the future. this is because there are some who look down on this field
saying that it only trains a student to be a clerk to manage information only, while they do not
know what we have learned. In general, this course includes information agencies such as
archives, resource centers, libraries, information centers and record centers, many skills are
also offered in this course. every semester, that is what is taught and absorbed into the
learning of students who take this field. There are some subjects or course content that I can
explain clearly.

In semester 1, I have been learning “The Introduction to information management” for

subject code IMD 112. Basically, this course or subject will be the basis of understanding the
various aspects of information science since its related to the field of Library and information
science which is a discipline that deals with the processes of storing, managing and
transferring of information. Basically, what I learn is, the fundamentally it covers all theories,
concepts and methods in the collection, organization, storage, retrieval and use of information.
Next for my second semester, I have been taken for the subject code IMD124 which is the
subject of “Access of Information”. This subject code is basically discussing about how or the
tools that being used to access, obtain or to get the information from various of sources which
is bibliographic control. I also learn about the bibliographic utilities and services which is I know
6 main bibliographic utilities that have the same goals such as MalMARC, SILAS, OCLC,

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RLIN, AGRIS and lastly INIS. While their 5 common services which is shard cataloguing,
online union catalogue, acquisition works, online information searching and reference services
and also the specific material bibliographic control. Furthermore, what I have learn in semester
3 is the subject code IMD213 about the “organization of information”. As we know and based
what I have learn, in organizing information and knowledge, professionals task encompasses
the representation of the various kinds of organizational information either in developing
methods and systems of structuring and accessing information, information distribution and
delivery, amplifying the usefulness and value of information, the information storage and
retrieval and so on. I learn and know that cataloguing, classifications, proper arrangement of
information materials are the most required activities that should be implemented. It’s also
explained that the standardization is a common but important element that should be
understand by student who have been studied this subject and also by the information
professionals. Basically, in this IMD213, I have learned the elements of organizing the library
are discusses most compared to other information agencies. Organization of information
focused to enhance the accessibility and quality of information so that the information agencies
will have an enlightenment view of itself and its environment. Next, for my semester 4, I have
learned and studied for subject code IMD223 which I have exposed to more detail and
specifically which is “Introduction to cataloguing”. As I have learned in semester 2 about the
bibliographic control, the cataloguing is a subset of the larger field of bibliographic control or
organization of information. it explains more deeply about cataloguing such as cataloguing
operation, the development of cataloguing codes which is for the standardize of records. In
this subject, I learn how to do the cataloguing by using the AACR book. There are a lot of rule
that must be follow as stated in the AACR. AACR is stands for Anglo-American Cataloguing
Rules that are serve for descriptive cataloguing. For my last semester, I have learned two
subject code which is IMD312 for “Introduction to Reference and Information services” and
subject code IMD315 for “Management of Libraries and Resources centre”. For the IMD312,
I have been learned and exposed to the techniques of reference activities and references
sources used in any information agencies and how to assist users in seeking information. I
have learned and know how to explain the various methods used to perform library
instructional programs and information search. It’s also discussed the basic strategies used
by information professionals in the evaluation of information systems, sources and services.
While, at the same semester which is semester 5, I also studied the subject code IMD 315.
For this subject is discuss the principle of management and best practices in libraries and
resources centers. I also have been exposed to the library management theories, roles and
techniques in various departments, and methods of management in the libraries and
resources centers. These six are just part of what we learned in the information management
course. There are many more things and also skills can be indirectly acquired.

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 Overall, there is a lot I can learn from the subject code I wrote above. I can state what
I learned from each subject as a whole. As a whole, for this IMD112 code I really have been
exposed to the functions of the various information agencies such as the library, archives and
the museum and the information professional who manages the agencies itself. Furthermore,
I also learn the technical and information services provided by the information agencies and
explore the latest development in information technologies. Next for the IMD 124, as a whole
as we know, information is becoming more and more common, causing information to explode
and explosion, so the skills on how to access information need to be possessed by every
individual. therefore, in this subject it is stated and explained about bibliography which is to list
information sources in a systematic manner to enable us to become aware of what information
is available and where it can be located, while its need to be control because as a guidance
to us in information searching to facilitate searching. there are also many, facilities and
organizations involved and cooperate as mention in this subject in this case that can help
easier access of information. Besides that, I have learned the elements of organizing the
library are discusses most compared to other information agencies. Organization of
information focused to enhance the accessibility and quality of information so that the
information agencies will have an enlightenment view of itself and its environment as a whole
in subject code IMD213. Generally, what I can adapt in subject IMD23 which is a course of
introduction to cataloguing is every information, records or data need to standardize by its own
rules. Standardize is very important because it will facilitate all parties who want to use
information, it can also facilitate in the search for information. As I learn from the AACR which
is stands for Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules which is a standardize tool for bibliographic
control. Apart of that, for the subject code IMD312, I know how to seeking the right information
by the techniques that I get from reference activities and etc. lastly for subject 315, as a whole
I can know and also demonstrate a broad range of information systems, sources and services
that library and other information agencies provide to their clients or their user.

This information management field is very important and also the important needs for
the future. in addition to the things learned above where we can see that information
management is very important and very thorough in terms of obtaining, using it, preserving it,
storing it and so on. data and information are the most expensive thing in the world right now.
for example, we can take in preparation for the industrial revolution where the industry and the
government will only get the maximum benefit if a legal framework that guarantees access to
public information can be provided. This should be given priority by the government because
the right to obtain public data in a systematic and transparent form will empower Malaysians
in an increasingly digital economic environment. The challenge of the digital world is not just

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human work taken over by robotic machines and technology, the latest major challenge is the
existing industries such as agriculture, construction, livestock, manufacturing, services and so
on need scientific quality information and easily accessible systematic to plan and respond to
changes brought about by information technology in their respective industrial sectors. Here
we can see the information is not only important to some industries but all industries in our
country. If our country does not have or does not practice the management of this information,
it will cause the country to suffer losses simply because it cannot manage or obtain the correct
and accurate information, indirectly, Malaysians lack graduates who already have or get
practical in this field. Here some of the skill that I learn from this information management field
such as speaking skills, magazine design in Adobe InDesign, newsletter design, poster design
using photoshop and adobe illustrator, create flash presentation using Macromedia Director
MX, web designing using HTML and Adobe Dreamweaver, set up computer components,
create exhibitions, library material catalogues and more which can be obtained indirectly in
this field.