RedefiningthePurpose forPublicLibrariesunderPressure:ACriticalApproach Based on Input Drawn from External Theoretical Frameworks
Abstract
There is a wide variety of views on the public library's future. In addition, a large number of books and articles have appeared,which addressthe future existence of public librariesin the age of Google,social media and electronic books. To identify majorthemes and viewpoints a review was conducted ofselected published sources addressing the legitimacy of public libraries along with the effortsto rethink libraries' future roles and chief tasks. The analysis ofselected publicationsshowsthat there is a paucity of critical thinking about public libraries, their mission, priorities and external environment. A major focus of the study is the relevance and feasibility of “importing” a specific body of theory from outside the field of Library and Information Science to enrich theoretical discussions within public librarianship. Hence, the paper considers ideas generated from reading German philosopher Axel Honneth's seminal work entitled “Das Recht der Freiheit”. An initial discussion is conducted of Honneth's theoretical perspectives and how they can be related to theory building in public librarianship. In considering Honneth's conceptualisations of personal freedom, attention is particularly given to the public library's awareness of the growing democratic deficit in the neo-liberal society
Keywords
public libraries, purpose, future, transformation, critical theory, Axel Honneth
Kaynakça
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