Public libraries and their role in modern society: Comments of the reviewer

Modern society has various needs such as education, research, cultural advancement, information, spiritual and ideological pursuits, pastime and recreation. Society has founded various institutions to serve these needs, among them the library occupies a prominent place; the library is able to meet all of them in equal measure. The public library is the local centre of information making all kinds of knowledge and information made available to its users. The public library, the local gateway to knowledge, provides a basic condition for lifelong learning, independent decision making and cultural development of the individual and social group. A public library as enunciated in the UNESCO Manifesto (1994) is expected to play the libraries role in three main areas like information, education and culture. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of how the public libraries support and guides the digital and modern world.

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Practice and Development of Cultural and Tourism Integration in Public Libraries

World Construction ◽

10.26789/jwc.2020.01.005 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 23-25

Author(s):

Xiuhua Yuan ◽

Keyword(s):

Public Libraries ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Modern Society ◽

Cultural Development ◽

Service Levels ◽

The People ◽

New Period ◽

The New Period ◽

Deep Integration

In the rapid development of modern society, public libraries are paying more and more attention to the improvement of their own service levels. The deep integration of culture and tourism is an inevitable trend of cultural development in the new period and has largely satisfied the culture of the people. Demand, the practice and development of cultural and tourism integration have promoted the national public libraries to pay attention to the development of cultural and tourism integration and provide support for the development of cultural and tourism integration. The article mainly analyzes the practice and development of cultural and tourism integration in public libraries.

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TRANSFORMATION AND EXPANSION OF LIBRARY FUNCTIONS IN THE MODERN DIGITAL SPACE

Scientific journal “Library Science. Record Studies. Informology” ◽

10.32461/2409-9805.3.2021.244715 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Olena Kuzmenko ◽

Vira Zagumenna

Keyword(s):

Information Needs ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Modern Society ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

Free Access ◽

Information Communication ◽

Educational Training ◽

Modern Library ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Processing Information

The purpose of the article is to outline the processes of transformation of the main functions of a modern library in meeting the constantly growing information needs of users and strengthening the role of libraries in the context of the digitalization of society. The methodology is based on a set of general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, abstraction, generalization) and approaches (systemic, socio-communicative, and innovative), as well as the comparison and relationship of theory and practice. The scientific novelty of this work is to expand ideas about the role and functions of libraries and their impact on the development of modern society in the context of digitalization. Conclusions. Expanding its functions, the library is increasingly introducing new means of accessing, creating, and processing information, using digital technologies and modern means of communication. The analysis of library functions allowed us to determine the essential (basic) functions of a modern library in the conditions of transformational changes. Among them: information, communication. Scientific libraries are characterized by the expansion (transformation) of the traditional information function into information-analytical. Such derivative functions as educational, training, leisure, etc. acquire a certain strengthening in the activity of public libraries. Information and communication functions are also being strengthened, regardless of the type of library. Thus, today the activities of libraries are enriched by the content of information, communication, cultural, educational, leisure, and other functions, which promotes interaction with the environment, the establishment of democratic and humanistic principles of development, ensuring free access to information. Keywords: transformation, functions of libraries, information needs of users, digitalization, civil society.

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Public Libraries in the Modern World

Advances in Library and Information Science - Handbook of Research on Inventive Digital Tools for Collection Management and Development in Modern Libraries ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-8178-1.ch002 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 21-41

Author(s):

M.N. Venkatesan

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

Modern Society ◽

Cultural Development ◽

Modern World ◽

The Public ◽

Group A ◽

The Individual ◽

Independent Decision

Modern society has various needs such as education, research, cultural advancement, information, spiritual and ideological pursuits, pastime and recreation. Society has founded various institutions to serve these needs, among them the library occupies a prominent place; the library is able to meet all of them in equal measure. The public library is the local centre of information making all kinds of knowledge and information made available to its users. The public library, the local gateway to knowledge, provides a basic condition for lifelong learning, independent decision making and cultural development of the individual and social group. A public library as enunciated in the UNESCO Manifesto (1994) is expected to play the libraries role in three main areas like information, education and culture. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of how the public libraries support and guides the digital and modern world.

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Modern libraries and the challenges

Scientific and Technical Libraries ◽

10.33186/1027-3689-2019-5-22-36 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 22-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alexander Mazuritsky ◽

Galina Kuzichkina

Keyword(s):

Public Libraries ◽

Historical Review ◽

Modern Society ◽

Key Factors ◽

Resource Potential ◽

The Public ◽

Library Education ◽

Theoretical Substantiation ◽

Library Network ◽

Library Profession

The authors discuss the main challenges for the libraries related to the libraries’ mission, their role and place in the modern society. The brief historical review of librarianship is given; the key factors of its transformation are revealed. The focus is made on the libraries – government authorities interaction and, in particular, on the so-called optimization of public libraries which primarily means the decreasing library network. The well-shaped state policy in librarianship is lacking today which impedes development of an upgraded unified concept. By examining the ratio of information and cultural &educational functions of the public libraries, the authors conclude on the need for some balance based on social demand, target and resource potential of each library. The transformation of the concept of the library profession and related problems of library education as the foundation for preservation and development of human resources in the library sphere, are also discussed. The libraries’ principal response to the challenges lies in the theoretical substantiation, testing in practice, mobility and relevance.

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Risky Profession: How U.S. Librarians Fight for Their Safety

Bibliotekovedenie [Library and Information Science (Russia)] ◽

10.25281/0869-608x-2021-70-3-289-297 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 70 (3) ◽

pp. 289-297

Author(s):

Marina Y. Neshcheret

Keyword(s):

Substance Abusers ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

Modern Society ◽

The United States ◽

Psychological State ◽

Modern World ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Cultural Changes ◽

Computer Hackers

In society, the concept of public library is traditionally associated with silence, peace and safety. However, modern realities indicate that the library profession is associated with many risks. As the experience of the United States shows, employees of public libraries are increasingly faced with problems that disrupt the normal functioning of library and information services and negatively affect the emotional and psychological state of staff and patrons. Ensuring safety of the library is a common concern, equally affecting both employees and patrons of the library. A threat to the safety of library is a potentially or actually possible event, action, process or phenomenon that can disrupt the stability of its operation or lead to shutdown of its functioning. The article considers the subjective threats, i. e. caused by the actions and behaviour of people. These can be mentally unbalanced, substance abusers or armed visitors, computer hackers, etc. Many of them pose a real danger to life and health of both librarians and library patrons. Based on the analysis of the U.S. periodical press, the author provides facts that clearly demonstrate the vulnerability of public library staff to the threats of the modern world: the risk of being killed, the risk of drug overdose of visitors, the risk of hacker attacks on library computers, the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, etc. Library rules and regulations are created to protect the rights, interests and safety of users and employees. It is necessary to keep them up-to-date taking into account the socio-cultural changes in modern society and transformation of human behaviour. The article shows what measures are taken by U.S. public libraries to ensure the safety of employees and patrons.

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