Information and Analytical Activity as a Scientific and Educational Discipline: Evolution, Development Trends

The purpose of the work is to outline the main meaningful components of information-analytical activity (IAA), in this context, to show the process of evolution of the IAA discipline in response to the challenges of the information society and its need for new specialists with new knowledge competencies in the conditions of digitisation. The research methodology consists in the application of a complex of general scientific and special methods, namely: analytical and synthetic processing of information, abstraction, generalisation, logical and systemic approaches, terminological and historical methods, as well as comparison and interrelationship of theory and practice. The scientific novelty of this work lies in the expansion of ideas about the role of the discipline "Information and analytical activity" in the formation of competences in the training of specialists in the specialty "Information, library and archive" and their influence on the development of modern society in the conditions of informatisation and digitisation. Conclusions. The analysis of scientific publications on the development and functioning of information and analytical activities in society, the study of relevant regulatory documents, in particular, educational and professional programs and educational standards, curricula for the specialty "Information, library and archival affairs" shows that, that the discipline "Information and analytical activity" (or "Information analytics") will continue to be in demand in the process of training applicants of the specified direction. Firstly, this is due to the fact that the processes of information and analytical activity permeate the activities of all information institutions and other organisations, which in one way or another are related to work with information and various documents. The need for information and analytical products of libraries and other information institutions is due to the objective request of users to get an idea of the main trends of changes in the meaningful filling of large masses of information in response to the challenges of the digital society. Secondly, the widespread development and implementation of information and communication technologies, the emergence of new types of documents and information carriers, a new level of evolution of analytical technologies, require future information specialists to have a deep knowledge of information and analytical processes and high level of digital competence. This will ensure the flexibility and adaptability of the educational system to new types of professional activity that appear as a result of digital transformation. 
Keywords: information activity, analytical activity, information and analytical support, analytics, information needs of users, information products and services, digitalisation.