Jesse Shera, social epistemology and praxis

Social epistemology and information science

“…In addition, the information service must ensure that its users can find these materials in the mass of recorded information to which they now have access. In this vein, several scholars (e.g., Budd, 2002b, pp. 94–96; Fallis, 2000, p. 306; Marco & Navarro, 1993; Shera, 1970, pp.…”

“…169–170), for example, discusses the epistemic benefits of hypertext, which, within an electronic environment, provides people with immediate links to further information on a topic. Several authors (e.g., Budd, 2002b, p. 96; Meola, 2000) have considered how work in epistemology can inform work in “information mediation services.” For example, an understanding of how social factors can affect knowledge acquisition is often necessary for conducting a successful reference interview.…”

An Illustrated Introduction to the Infosphere

“…In particular, Floridi's (2002aFloridi's ( , 2004a proposal that LIS be viewed as an applied form of PI has been countered by arguments that LIS already possesses an adequate philosophical base of its own, often identified as social epistemology (Budd, 2002;Fallis, 2006;Zandonade, 2004). Oddly, however, the concept of social epistemology as it is generally understood today has little or no direct connection with the term as originated by LIS theorists Egan and Shera, even while their original impetus for the concept (that is, in the service of continuous improvement of bibliographic services to users) is still firmly embedded in ongoing library work.…”

“…Twenty years after Shera's death, however, and fifty years after the publication of Egan and Shera's seminal article, Fallis edited a 2002 special issue of Social Epistemology devoted to the topic of social epistemology and information science, in which several articles (Budd, 2002;Dick, 2002;Furner, 2002b) recognized Egan and Shera's foundational role and their coining of the term social epistemology. Floridi's contribution (2002a) offered a dissenting voice, arguing that social epistemology did not provide an appropriate conceptual structure for LIS.…”

Storing and sharing wisdom and traditional knowledge in the library

“…They work within established parameters of knowledge and form. Budd (2002) Storing and Sharing Wisdom points out that knowledge "has been subjected to some kind of filtering through society's value system...has been deemed meaningful through some societally agreed-upon process" (p. 93). Radford (1992) critically explains that librarians serve as facilitators, guardians, and brokers of a modern, positivist view of knowledge; here, information is presented as a commodity.…”