Introduction to the production, dissemination, and consumption of knowledge in society, related to roles of information professionals and the functions of libraries and other information institutions. Differences among disciplines in how knowledge is recorded and transmitted. Global issues and trends in society that have affected scholarly communication and the access to information for the public.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Compare and contrast diverse knowledge systems and understanding of their role in framing social worlds, moral codes, and practice.
• Understand knowledge systems from a historical and multicultural perspective.
• Assess the role of contemporary library and information agencies in providing access to knowledge systems through information infrastructure and the role of information professionals.
• Express their epistemological position and evaluate how it may affect their contribution to knowledge production in building information infrastructures (selection of materials, providing access to materials in information agencies).
• Examine historical artifacts in the context of production, dissemination, and consumption of knowledge.
• Evaluate representational systems and organizational schemes for access of knowledge artifacts in a variety of settings, with an emphasis on the traditional context of information work in libraries, archives, and museums.