Simmons University School of Library and Information Science is proud to announce that this year’s Allen Smith Visiting Fellow is Dr. John Budd, Professor Emeritus of the University of Missouri. Two events during his visit will be live-streamed and open to the public.
Please join us on Thursday April 20th, at 6pm ET, when Dr. Budd will deliver his keynote address “Information? Truth? Where Are We Now?” This event will be held in-person at Simmons University and will also be live-streamed. Register for free through Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/information-truth-where-are-we-now-tickets-559010143387), and see below for full details.
We also hope that you can join us on Thursday April 27th at 6PM ET, when Dr. Budd will moderate a cross-disciplinary faculty conversation on mis- and disinformation. Six faculty members from the fields of LIS, journalism, public health, political science, education, and social work will gather to discuss perspectives on mis/disinformation, how they address the topic in their classrooms, and how we might work across disciplines to combat its effects. Again, this event will be held in-person at Simmons University and will also be live-streamed. Register for free through Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-epidemic-a-social-condition-a-human-problem-tickets-605070120017).
“Information? Truth? Where Are We Now?” Matters of disinformation and post-truth are spoken of frequently these days, and it is important to tackle them head-on. But first, perhaps, we should consider what information and truth are. This presentation will begin with a definition of information that is unique and that may be challenged, and a discussion of what truth is. Then, disinformation can be defined, and its import for society treated critically. Also, post-truth can be likewise discussed within a framework of truth. These concepts are essential, not for studies of “information,” abstractly and practically, but within the body politic of today.
The Allen Smith Symposium is an annual conference and visiting scholars fellowship celebrating the life of professor Allen Smith who taught at SLIS for 31 years from 1978 until his passing in 2008. Smith regularly taught courses in reference, humanities, and oral history and was well known for his diverse interests ranging from his expertise as a farrier to his definitive writing on the Appalachian dulcimer. Upon his passing, a visiting scholars fellowship was endowed to bring respected scholars who work in the broad areas of reference, humanities, and oral history to come to SLIS and share their expertise.
John M. Budd is Professor Emeritus in the School of Information Science and Learning Technologies of the University of Missouri. He has also served on the faculties of the University of Arizona and Louisiana State University. He has been active in professional associations for more than thirty years, serving (among other offices) as Chair of the American Library Association’s Library Research Round Table. He has also served in many capacities in the Association for Library and Information Science Education, including as President. He has also served as President of Beta Phi Mu. Budd has published well over 100 journal articles in some of the most prominent journals, including Library and Information Science Research, Journal of Information Science, Journal of Documentation, and JASIST. His publications also include a number of books, such as The Changing Academic Library; Six Issues Facing Libraries Today: Critical Perspectives; Democracy, Economics, and the Public Good: Informational Failures and Potential; and Higher Education’s Purpose. He has presented more than 125 times at professional conferences.