Considerations on the social role of the document according to paul otlet

Abstract

This study assesses Paul Otlet's (1868-1944) understanding of the social role of the document. Specifically, it explores why he considers documents as essential elements for the ordering of social relations. In order to do so, it examines Otlet's expositions on the nature of the social dynamics, and contrasts them with his descriptions of the document and its functions in the social sphere. It observes Otlet's claims for the book as an instrument of social improvement, noticing how they were emphasized by the circumstances of both the First World War and the interwar period. It analyzes the analogies he employs to describe society and project its future and how they reflected internationalist assumptions, and notices how his arguments for the importance of the book draw heavily from it. The article argues that contemporary Information Science still needs to fully consider the element of internationalism in Otlet's construction of documentation, particularly in how it relates to social cooperation, collaboration and connection.