ABSTRACT
This chapter explores some basic underpinnings which inform the rest of the book: What do we mean by ‘image’, and why are they so important to humans? What are digital images, how are they created, and for that matter, what is meant by the term ‘digital’? This text focuses on issues surrounding bitmaps, rather than vector graphics, and the reasons for this approach are explained, as is why such a text (with a focus on issues pertinent to information professionals) is necessary. Finally, an overview of the remaining content of the book is presented, detailing its scope and aims.
