Changing of the Functions of Libraries in the Era of Sociocultural Transformations: Social Risks and Problem of Choosing Landmarks

 In library science, the problem of classification of functions of library as social institution is debatable. Library scientists most often consider the following social functions: informational, educational, hedonistic, ideological, cultural and enlightening, compensatory, scientific-industrial, learning, pedagogical, cognitive, teaching, recreational, training, socio-cultural, etc. In the context of global crises, including financial crunch, the library has to defend its primordial intrinsic functions, realizing its mission even in the conditions of discrepancy of the current state cultural policy and interests of society. The authors compare the approaches to allocation of library functions in the studies of library scientists and philosophers, culturologists, sociologists. Unlike the library researchers, they allocate human-creative, cultural-creative, cognitive, configurative, socializing function of “the third place”. The novelty of the approach of philosophers, culturologists, sociologists to the allocation of intrinsic functions of libraries is evident in the conceptualization of library as cultural phenomenon with syncretism of material and spiritual values, realizing that library activity cannot be reduced to the solution of utilitarian, instantaneous tasks; understanding of library as an active participant (or actor — in terms of sociology) of the knowledge management process in the information society; comprehension of library as public place providing socialization of personality. The types of social risks caused by transformation of library functions in the era of sociocultural transformations are allocated. The paper emphasizes that among the dangerous landmarks in the activity of libraries, there is, firstly, pragmatic approach — commercialization of activities and earning money in the market conditions of libraries; and secondly, technocratization of activities — transformation of libraries into the technical centers for delivery of documents, whose activities are exclusively technological.

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