Unit 2 : Non-Documentary Sources of Information

BLIS-102: Information Sources and Services

1. Introduction

Not all information comes from books, journals, or databases. Much knowledge is shared directly through people, institutions, organisations, and media without being formally recorded. These are called non-documentary sources of information. They are important because they often provide first-hand, latest, and practical knowledge that may not be published.

2. Non-Documentary Sources: Meaning

Non-documentary sources are those sources that are not formally recorded in print, written, or digital formats. Instead, they are communicated orally, visually, or interactively. In library science, non-documentary sources are human and institutional sources of information, mass media (like TV, radio), and interactive digital media (like the Internet) that provide knowledge without being preserved in permanent documents. Simply put, they are “live” information sources such as experts, organisations, or communication channels. Examples: Experts’ advice, government departments, research organisations, television news, radio broadcasts, institutional websites, online forums.

3. Importance of Non-Documentary Sources

Non-documentary sources are important because they are timely, authentic, specialised, interactive, gap-filling, widely accessible, and decision-supportive.

4. Limitations of Non-Documentary Sources

5. Non-Documentary Sources of Information

Non-documentary sources provide unrecorded but highly valuable information through human expertise, institutional services, government data, research outputs, archives, media, and online platforms. They are crucial for obtaining timely, authentic, and specialised knowledge beyond what is available in printed or electronic documents.