The article demonstrates the development of information science through three stages : its emergence prior to the second World War, its search for identify and alliances during the sixties and seventies, and its established as a discipline during the period 1977-80. The scope and present state of the discipline is discussed, pointing to five major areas of concern for information science as well as a number of core sub-disciplines. Based on the cognitive view, as defined in 1977 by M.De Mey, the author discusses the understanding of the concept of information in relation to the discipline and proposes a consolidated concept which has to satisfy dual requirements in relation to both sender and recipient of conveyed messages, in order to be operationnal from a current perspective of information science. The proposal relies primarily on arguments and suggestions previously put forward and draws a special attention to the views expressed by the late B.C. Brookes. The implications of the consolidated concept are briefly discussed.