Library Sociology: Student course under new circumstances

The need for including the course of «Library sociology» into the student training program «Library and Information Activities», is substantiated. The experience of teaching Library Sociology at Moscow State Institute of Culture is discussed.

Islam in Front of the Challenges of Modernity: World Politics, State System, Public Opinion

Review of the textbooks: Islam in World Politics in Early XXIth Century: A Textbook / L.M. Yefimova, M.A. Sapronova, eds.; [A.M. Ahunov, V.A. Ahmadullin, R.I. Bekkin a. o.]; Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation, Dept. of Oriental Studies. Moscow: MGIMO–University, 2016. 345, [1] p. (In Russ.);Islam in the State and Socio-Political Systems of the Eastern Countries: A Textbook / L.M. Yefimova, M.A. Sapronova, eds.; [K.P. Borishpolets, R.D. Daurov, B.V. Dolgov a. o.]; Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation, Dept. of Oriental Studies. Moscow: MGIMO–University, 2018. 350, [1] p. (In Russ.);Muslim Socio-Political Ideas in Front of the Challenges of Modernity: A Textbook / L.M. Yefimova, M.A. Sapronova, eds.; [B.V. Dolgov, S.B. Druzhilovsky, L.M. Yefimova a. o.]; Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation, Dept. of Oriental Studies. Moscow: MGIMO–University, 2018. 192, [2] p. (In Russ.).The set of textbooks, written by the lecturers of Department of Oriental Studies, MGIMO–University, is a very useful publication both in terms of research and education. It covers the wide field of key problems of contemporary Islam and fills out some gaps in Russian studies of Islam.The first book of the series is focused on processes of globalization and democratization in Islamic world. The authors examine the role of Muslim states in multi-vector development of regional and global politics, analyze the impact of Islamic structures and concepts on present system of international relations. In the second book the authors emphasize the role of Islamic factor in domestic political life of specific countries and regions of the Muslim world. The authors focus on fundamental issues of constitutional law, functioning of supreme state bodies, building of parties and political systems. In the third book of the series the authors review the ideas of contemporary Muslim philosophers, public figures, political writers – both of conservative-fundamentalist and liberal-modernist orientation, basing on numerous facts. The authors managed to present the diversity of solutions, proposed by Muslim politicians and thinkers aimed at facing a number of challenges such as modernization and globalization, migration crises, poor ecological conditions, rise of social inequality, erosion and substitution of traditional values of Islam, etc.The textbooks in review may be of special interest not only for teachers and students at universities and high schools, but also for specialists in Oriental studies, political studies, as well as for broad audience of readers.

Modern Islam (Beginning of the 21st Cent.) A Reader (a review of a series of teaching manuals published by the Moscow State Institute of International Relations / MGIMO-University)

Modern Islam (Beginning of the 21st Cent.) A Reader (a review of a series of teaching manuals published by the Moscow State Institute of International Relations / MGIMO-University).

Balancing the concepts of “system of libraries” and “library network”. The problem statement

On the basis of thorough analysis of current publications in bibliographic studies, foreign and domestic, the author concludes on the lack of differentiation of the terms “system” and “network”, and on the corresponding discrepancies in the professional terminology. She substantiates the need for such differentiation between the terms. In author’s opinion, the term “library system” is quite appropriate, as the concept of the “network” cannot be adopted as an umbrella term; the system of libraries and the network of libraries are related as the whole and a part. The author proceeds that the country’ system of libraries is the whole of libraries interacting at the level of individual library networks and proving access to the community’ information resources. The advisability of using the concept of “library information system” in modern reality is emphasized. The author also notes that the need for using this term is de facto substantiated by the textbook “General Bibliography” published by the Moscow State Institute of Culture and Arts in 2015.

New textbooks for bachelors

New textbooks for bachelors in library and information science published by «Professija» publishing house - «Subject Fields Information Resources» and «Library and Information Services», as well as «Library Science» published by Moscow State Institute for Culture are presented. The structure and contents of textbooks are analyzed. The digital library by «Professija» publishing house is presented.