What is the difference between information systems and information technology?

In a way, you can say one is a subset of the other. IT is a broad term defining any and all things pertaining to the transfer, storage, and availability of information by utilizing technologies. An IS on the other hand is a (collection of) platform(s)/solution(s) designed to manage a particular information  product. An example of an IS would be all the hardware and software used in an electronic health record (EHR) system. All devices connected to each other that are dedicated to storing, maintaining, and disseminating patient records can be considered part of an IS. Any individual computer/communications component can be considered an IT system even if it's part of a specific IS. In a business environment, IT may more commonly refer to anything that deals with the transport of information; particularly network/telecommunications equipment.

Let me first mention about computer science (CS) since both information systems (IS) and information technology (IT) come from that field as forms of applied computing. While both fields are mostly industry-oriented in nature with graduates trained towards becoming practitioners and tech professionals, CS can also do this to an extent in as much as it can do other aspects of the field (research and academe), also to an extent. Now that we establish how industry-related both fields are, let's tell them apart next:IS, historically, came out first almost alongside CS and also computer engineering (CE). The three were the original set of computing disciplines, with CS being responsible for software, CE responsible for hardware and IS being responsible for industry and incorporating into practice what both CS and CE produces.This did not last however as more and more technologies started to come up within an almost monthly basis at the latest rate of progress. This eventually caused the establishment of new disciplines that would fill in the needs that became obvious in spite of the new technologies. Software engineering (SE), a discipline originally within the borders of CS and CE, came out unto itself as a full-fledged academic discipline to ensure that CE continues to focus its interests in computer hardware and computer-enabled devices. This was also necessary so that CS can continue to teach on a generalist approach with emphasis on breadth that would have been hampered if too much attention was provided for SE.Information technology (IT) came out due to an apparent gap in practice that no one seem to have been able to fill in a relatively long while. Despite the presence of IS professionals, no one was extensively capable of harnessing and managing technology within organizations so that infrastructures run smoothly, no matter how many systems are integrated into it. What IS was originally (and currently) set to do is to act as liaison between technical and non-technical personnel to ensure that communication is maintained especially during crucial periods such as when running and implementing systems projects. Even though IS was, to an extent, capable of performing systems management and administration, it was eventually accepted that pure and highly technical skills such as integration and maintenance was secondary if not non-existent in their agenda.This history results in the current distinction of the two industry-oriented computing disciplines: IS is concerned with the quality of information, how it is stored, organized and managed, and how it can be retrieved and transmitted through the appropriate means and methods. This must be done with consideration with the nature and context of the organization that they must elicit when managing projects. Communication is critical to IS since acting as the coordinator and proverbial bridge between the technical department and the rest of the organization is a main role. This means that leading and managing projects would mostly fall unto their hands. IT deals with an organization's technological infrastructure and how it can be managed. This would entail being knowledgeable of the currently used technologies and technologies that could be potentially be used to further improved the infrastructure. Alongside systems management and maintenance, integration is key to IT in ensuring that the infrastructure not only stays functional to the organization's needs but also competitive in terms of innovation. I'm actually using references provided by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) which you can see here: http://www.acm.org/education/curricula-recommendations

Information systems (IS) is concerned with the information that computer systems can provide to aid a company, non-profit or governmental organization in defining and achieving its goals  the term “information technology” is often used to refer to all of computing,Information Technology : falls under the information system's umbrella, but has nothing to do with systems per say. IT deals with the technology involved in the systems themselves

IT is a set of computer-based tools which can be applied to built and operate an IS. If that IS is design with the IT support. However, you may find many IS which do not use any IT tools. For example a book is an example of an IS which in old times (since 1453) could be printed without any IT tools.

Good question.Information Technology usually refers to all things software and hardware whereas information systems is any system be it biological, social or technological, in which takes in an input and produces an output.Information Technology is more or less as colloquial, or general term normally used in industry whereas Information System is a discipline that is researched and studied at University, probably because Information Technology is too broad.