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LIS 204: Introduction to Library and Information Studies

Week Two

Kevin Rioux, PhD

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Part 1

The Basics

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Working definition of “library”

• Organizations whose purpose is to collect, maintain, organize, and disseminate recorded knowledge or information where emphasis is on promoting the accessibility and utility of that knowledge or information to meet users’ needs (based on Rubin).

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Rubin’s Framework:

• Libraries are but one part of a larger information infrastructure that is enormously complex and varied.

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Libraries typically work in the public interest

• Open access to information

• Copyright and fair use

• Information security

• Privacy

• Cost of information

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Metaphors commonly used to describe the information infrastructure:

• Flood of information

• Information explosion

• Information overload

• Bombarded with information

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An area of opportunity for librarians

• We are a discipline concerned with providing access to vast amounts of accumulated knowledge and information.

• Likely that libraries and librarians will be in higher demand to help deal with the overabundance of information.

• HAVE TO BE ACTIVE AND SEIZE THE MOMENT ON THIS!!!

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A few words about electronic databases

• Now mostly distributed online

• Full text is growing in popularity. Often licenses are restricted.

• Abstracted indexes keeps distribution control with publishers.

• In a greater sense, all electronic resources, including the Web, is an electronic database

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A few words about electronic publishing

• Ever increasing

• Especially relevant to academic libraries and scholarly researches

– Costs for scholarly journals are very high

– Costs and delays for refereeing

• E-publishing gets ideas out faster and cheaper to more people

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Part 2

From Past to Present

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Early libraries

• First library-like organization was established by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia, circa. 3000 BC

• Primarily emerged for commercial purposes

– Record keeping and organization of commercial documents

– Mostly clay tablets

– Had special custodians (proto-librarians)

• Scholarly, religious and cultural records were included later

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Ancient Egyptian libraries

• Egyptians were the first to use papyrus (early paper) scrolls

• Scribes were educated and highly esteemed men who performed librarian functions

• Libraries had a larger scope: not just commercial, but governmental and religious

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Assyrian Libraries

• King Ashurbanipal (circa 800 BC) was the first to put forth idea that the library should contain reference materials and be an educational resource for future generations

– Idea of “cultural record” emerges

• Actively sought materials on literature, history, religion, mathematics, language, etc.: another new trend

– These were arranged in a standard format

• “Keeper of the Books” = librarian

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Ancient Greek Libraries

• Around 500 BC, writings of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle made reading and writing highly esteemed in Greek culture. Heretofore, was not that large of a cultural influence.

• This high esteem of reading and learning was spread throughout the ancient world by Alexander the Great.

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Library at Alexandria

• Established by Ptolemy (one of Alexander’s generals)

• Very influential to this day among scholars

• Goal was to collect all Greek literature, and much foreign literature

• Innovations developed here:

– Translation of texts– Organization schemes– Aggressive and strategized collection development– Opened up to a much wider audience

• New Library at Alexandria

– http://www.bibalex.org/English/index.aspx

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Decline of Ancient Libraries in the West

• Romans picked up the Greek model, but most weren’t quite as successful---mostly a status symbol.

• Most libraries in the Roman Empire were destroyed as it declined due to corruption and Barbarian and Nordic invaders.

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Byzantine and Ancient Arabic World Libraries

• Were not affected during the Dark Ages (beginning at about 500 AD) as Western Europe was

• Western thought was preserved in these libraries

• Both Constantinople and Arabic cultures valued writing and education.

– Their libraries were both scholarly and religious

– Actively collected works from all over the ancient world

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Monastic Libraries

• Mostly religious texts, but some secular

• Often monks were employed copying and illuminating manuscripts.

• Good example of these: Dutch National Library: http://www.kb.nl/kb/manuscripts/

• Dominican Friars developed some of our present tasks: spine labels, weeding, hours, collection development.

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Cathedral/University Libraries

• Late Middle Ages, universities sprang up in the improving intellectual scene: e.g., Bologna, Paris, Oxford

• Libraries were set up to support the research and curriculum needs

• Both religious and secular materials

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Renaissance

• Explosion of cultural activity

– Interest in sciences

– Arts

– Renewed interest in Greek and Roman philosophy

• Mostly private libraries

– Public not invited, but did us a favor of preserving ancient texts

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Printing Press

• 1464 in Mainz, Germany

• More books

– Covering more subjects

– For more people

– More cheaply

– Which stimulated literacy

• Spurred foundation of many new libraries

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18th Century American Libraries

• In the 1700s, mostly small religious or private libraries

– Literacy somewhat low

– Few colleges/universities, libraries were not a key component of these institutions

– Mostly agrarian society

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18th Century America, cont’d

• Social Libraries

– Set up by societies of volunteers, mostly of an emerging middle class who had the leisure to read

– Group financial support

– Enduring contribution: Library’s mission to promote self improvement and search for truth

• Belief that literature improved character

• Early public libraries are based on these collections

– Popular up through the 1800s

• Specialized for women, specific technologies, interests, etc.

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18th Century America, cont’d

• Circulating library (rental library)

– At the same time as the social library

– Mostly leisure reading, which some objected to

– For profit, so the mission was to make customer happy and make money

– Were the first libraries to serve women, to carry periodicals, have reading rooms, have extended hours.

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Emergence of Special Libraries

• Small social libraries were often established for workers in the early Industrial Revolution

• Upon this success, factory and technical libraries were established

• Early 20th Century, mission was to promote the profitability of the company or office.

• Value-added services continue to be a characteristic of this library type.

• An early adopter of innovations like microfilm and the Internet

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Emergence of Academic Libraries

• Until after the Civil War, college & university curricula were based on the classics, which did not require many books.

– Changes in teaching methods--active inquiry on the part of students, seminar model

– Rise of the research model (University of Berlin) in the late 19th Century--faculty research agendas emerged (beginning at Johns Hopkins University).

– Mission of academic libraries became to support this curriculum and to support academic research.

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Emergence of academic libraries, cont’d.

• Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862

– Federal law granting land to universities

– At first, mostly A&M or A&T schools

– Professional education for librarians emerged around this time.

• ALA established in 1876

• First library school 1887

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Emergence of School Libraries

• Only since 1890 were there compulsory attendance laws in half of the states, so public schools were not universal

• After 1890, many school libraries were established

– Control was not internal, however, and teaching did not heavily depend on books

• 1914, ALA established special school section

• 1920 Certain report said that school libraries were quite deficient

• By the 1930s it was recognized that school libraries were recognizable by modern librarians, supporting a revised and expanded curriculum

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Emergence of Public Libraries

• In 1880, only seven of the largest cities in the US had what we know as public libraries

– Tax supported

– Governed by a citizen board

– Open to all

– Voluntary

– Established by state law

– Free

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Emergence of public libraries, cont’d.

• Boston Public Library was the first major public library (1854)– Emergence was dependent on

• Social attitudes• Urbanization• Emergence of municipal services• Increased literacy and leisure time• Belief in the ability to improve their morals through reason• Schools and libraries were socializers of immigrants• Noblesse oblige and philanthropy• Shared the mission of public schools as popular education and

continuing education• Idea that they buttressed democracy

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Andrew Carnegie

• From 1886 to 1919, Carnegie donated millions for the construction of over 2,000 libraries (the buildings) across the country, many of them public libraries. Most of them are still in use.

• Materials were locally developed, and local librarians and staff were hired.

• Very influential in increasing library use in this country.

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Some past and current public library issues

• Quality vs. demand

• Mission of inclusiveness of all ethnic groups– Actively served turn of the century Europeans, more of an assimilation

stance (melting pot)– Did not do as well a job with Hispanic groups and African Americans until

the Civil Rights movements of the 1960s. Ethnic self determination was underpinning (multiculturalism)

• 1970 Social Responsibilities Roundtable created by ALA• REFORMA• Black Caucus

– Today ALA has many groups discussing and acting upon these issues• Recruitment and retention of various ethnic groups is a prominent

contemporary issue

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Historic and contemporary mission of public libraries

• Support the education and socialization needs of society

• Meet the information needs of a broad array of citizens

• Promote self-education

• Satisfy recreational reading needs of the public

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Rubin’s Forces that will affect libraries:

• Attitudes towards government agencies

• Attitudes toward education

• Attitudes toward serving all members of society

• Attitudes toward reading

• Attitudes toward literature

• Attitudes toward technology

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Primary Library Values

• Service– Ranganathan’s five laws are a centerpiece of service values

• Reading and books are important– Literacy programs are promoted by libraries

• Respect for the truth and search for the truth– A tight rope to walk

• Tolerance– As a profession, we are generally open to a variety of ideas

• The public good– A community orientation

• Justice• Aesthetics