Performs an information function in the library as a system. Library as a social institution: role and functions

Introduction 2 Chapter 1. The emergence of the library as a social phenomenon 6 1.1. Objective prerequisites for the emergence of libraries 6 1.2. Expanding the activities of libraries 9 Chapter 2. Library and society 13 2.1. The social role of the library, its public purpose 13 2.2. The problem of the concept of “library functions” 14 2.3. Social functions 15 2.3.1. Essential functions 15 2.3.2. Derivative functions 20 Conclusion 26 References 28

Introduction

The relevance of this course work is expressed in the fact that the role of libraries in modern society has become so insignificant that people who are interviewed on the streets become unable to answer where the library is located. This happens even when they pass by the library building, and 80% of those surveyed will confidently say that the last time they were in the library was when they were at school. Due to the rapidly developing modern technologies, the easy availability of a variety of information on the Internet, on television, and the free sale of books in stores, people no longer have an urgent need to visit libraries. People mostly perceive a library as a repository of old books. And libraries, especially municipal ones, in small towns and small provincial towns, correspond to this image. The collection of such libraries consists of 70% of books published in the mid-twentieth century, when the state was aware of the role of the library in the life of society. The formation of library collections was given great importance, but the library had an ideological function, and accordingly, documents for the most part have lost their relevance and are of no interest to modern society. It is not difficult to notice that at the present time, due to the difficult economic situation in the state, constant ongoing crises, redistribution of power and property, redistribution of responsibility for financing libraries between state, regional - regional, municipal budgets - libraries have found themselves in the unenviable role of “poor relatives." Libraries are faced with the acute question of how to survive in modern conditions and become again necessary not only to society, but also to the state. Having lost its ideological function, the library cannot claim a dominant role in informatization of the population and compete with television, the Internet and periodicals due to lack of funding in the first place. In the modern world, the library must constantly develop. It is no longer enough to simply store and issue books. The rhythm of life in modern society is now very fast and the reader now needs not just BOOKS, he needs opportunities. In order for a library to survive, it is necessary to introduce modern information technologies: create electronic catalogs, library websites, digitize books. The ongoing social transformations affect libraries; this changes the entire system of library work and library resources; the question is raised about the “borders” of library space and the very foundations of the existence of traditional libraries and their functions. The modern library, destroying its physical boundaries, moves from real space to virtual space. On the one hand, it offers access to information resources belonging to other libraries, on the other, it itself becomes interactive, digitizing its collections and collaborating with other libraries via the Internet. But the library should not go into the virtual space completely and irrevocably; its mission is to be as close to people as possible; it needs to once again occupy the niche where the library will be the center of public life and activity. Societies of interest, clubs, and circles should gather in libraries. It should be noted that, to begin with, the library must meet all the requirements of a modern library user, but retain its “reader”. The purpose of this course work: to study the problem of determining the social functions of a library in modern conditions. The objectives of this course work are: to identify and analyze publications on the topic of study; study the history of the emergence of the library as a social phenomenon. consider the issue of defining the social functions of libraries; find out the role of the library in society, its social purpose, social functions and responsibilities; identify the dominant functions today. The study methods used in this course work are theoretical, analysis and synthesis of material; empirical, comparison method. The object of study in this course work is the functions of a public library. The subject of our research is the social functions of a public library at the present stage of development of the library and society. The theoretical basis of the study includes textbooks, teaching aids on librarianship over the past 13 years, as well as journal publications from 2009 to the present day. A number of Internet resources were also used in the preparation of this work. The theoretical significance of this course work lies in the opportunity to collect and analyze material about the social functions of a modern library, to present for consideration the points of view that have been identified on this issue and to present them as systematically and accessiblely as possible. This course work in practice can be useful for students studying library science, as well as practicing librarians working in public libraries in various cities and towns of Russia. The structure of the course work consists of an introduction, two chapters, a conclusion and a list of references.

Conclusion

Libraries are repositories of human memory, the main source of information - from ancient manuscripts to electronic resources. As academician D. Likhachev said, “Libraries are the most important thing in culture... while the library is alive, the people are alive; if it dies, the past and the future will die.” A library, in modern society, should not be just a “repository” of human memory, it should become publicly accessible, interesting for both the reader and the user. It should become an accessible place for all segments of the population. Provide all citizens with free access to information on any media. The library must fully master the virtual space and become an indispensable flagship in the “sea” of information resources. The task of the library and librarians is to provide any information requested by the user in the shortest possible time. For this, qualified, intelligent personnel are needed locally. The role of the library and the work of the librarian in the development of modern society cannot in any way be underestimated. The library must develop according to the requirements and requests of users. Local librarians, even in the smallest localities, must understand and realize the importance of the library in the life and development of society. This should be expressed in constant self-development, self-training, and advanced training. Mastering new knowledge and technologies. In his work, a librarian must use the work experience accumulated over centuries and keep track of all new trends in library science, both in Russia and abroad. But in an effort to become “more accessible”, expanding its functions and tasks, the library should not lose its true purpose, its main (generic) function - to instill a love of reading in one and all. Reading increases a person’s intelligence and helps a citizen develop as a person. Library workers must constantly advertise their activities. Stay in close contact with local broadcasters and media outlets. Research and analyze reader demand.

References

1. Akilina, M. Information institution? Yes! // Library. - 2006. - N 12. - S. . 61-63 2. Artemyeva, E.B. Library as a social institution [Electronic resource]. URL: [email protected] 3. Belza, S. A person who writes and a person who reads [Electronic resource]. URL: redkayakniga.ru 4. Berestova, T. F. Public municipal library in a single information space: scientific method. Benefit. – Moscow: Liberia – Bibinform, 2005. – 288 p. 5. Vaneev, A. N. Mission of the library - social role - social functions // General library science: anthology: In 2.parts; Part 2/ comp. A. A. Fomina, M. V. Shabalina, M. N. Kolesnikova; scientific ed. prof. A. N. Vaneev. - Moscow: Liberia - Bibinform, 2008. - P. 133-137 6. Garafutdinova, I. S. On the role of the library in the life of modern society (Essay) [Electronic resource]. URL: edu.tatar.ru 7. Gendina, N. I. Official website: problems of reflecting the main functions of the library as a social institution in the open information space // Scientific and technical libraries. - 2010. - N 2. - P. 5-15 8. Eliseeva, T. Expanding the space of communication: the communicative function of the library and the 21st century // Library. - 2010. - N 7. - P. 32-34 9. Kadyrova, L. Z. Crimean Tatar libraries in Crimea: history and modernity // Scientific and technical libraries. - 2015. - No. 8. - P. 18-30 10. Kartashov N. S., Skvortsov V. V. General theory of librarianship // General library science: anthology: In 2.parts; Part 2/ comp. A. A. Fomina, M. V. Shabalina, M. N. Kolesnikova; scientific ed. prof. A. N. Vaneev. – Moscow: Liberia - Bibinform, 2008. – P. 279-288 11. Konakova, A. “We have become a place where a person wants to be” // Modern Library. – 2017. - No. 1. – P. 35-39 12. Kugarchinskaya Central Library The emergence and development of libraries [Electronic resource] // About reading, libraries and librarians. – Republic of Bashkortostan: Kugarchinskaya Central Library, 2011. URL: www.inmoment.ru 13. Kuznetsova, T. Innovative practices of a modern library // Library. - 2009. - N 2. - P. 10-13 14. Motulsky, R. S. General library science: textbook. village for universities. – Moscow: LIBERIA, 2004. – 224 p. 15. Pashin A.I. Library as a socio-cultural system: management issues: textbook. Benefit. – Moscow: Liberia-Bibinform, 2005. – 96 p. 16. Roppert, J. V. The role of libraries in modern society (Abstract) [Electronic resource]. – Irkutsk, 2006. URL: www.kazedu.kz 17. IFLA/UNESCO Guide to the development of public library services. – St. Petersburg: publishing house RNL, 2001. – 112 p. 18. Svergunova, N. M. Social mission of libraries: an analytical review of opinions // Scientific and technical libraries. – 2014. - No. 7. – P. 7-8 19. Smirnova, I. P. Social function of public libraries in the information society (Abstract) // Library in the era of change: Digest. ? 2015. ? Vol. 2. ? [Electronic resource]. ? URL: infoculture.rsl.ru/?news-bep 20. Stolyarov Yu. N. Essential functions of the library: the relevance and significance of the library // General library science: anthology: In 2 parts; Part 2/ comp. A. A. Fomina, M. V. Shabalina, M. N. Kolesnikova; scientific ed. prof. A. N. Vaneev. - Moscow: Liberia - Bibinform, 2008. - P. 186-191 21. Stolyarov, Yu. N. About the system functions of the library and their names // Scientific and technical libraries. - 2015. - No. 6. - P. 30-43 22. Tikunova, I. P. Conceptual model of a modern library: social and philosophical analysis [Manuscript]: abstract of the dissertation for the degree of candidate of philosophical sciences: [specialty] 09.00.11 ? Social philosophy: protected 03/13/2007 / I.P. Tikunova; State education institution of higher education prof. education "Pomor. state University named after M.V. Lomonosov". [Electronic resource] - Arkhangelsk, 2007. ? 18 p. URL: http://tikunova

The concept of “function” is one of the main ones in the terminology of any science. With its help, the meaning, role of objects of reality, responsibilities performed, goals and purpose of individual processes and elements of existing systems are determined. In the content of the concept under consideration, experts see what is common to related social systems and those features that allow them to be differentiated.

The concept of “function” plays a special role within the framework of the systems approach, where it acts in close connection with the concept of structure. In library science, an example of such an understanding of functions is the structural and functional analysis of the library as a system carried out by Yu. N. Stolyarov.

Despite the key position of the concept of “function” in the apparatus of science, in modern library science there is no generally accepted understanding of it, and the composition of library functions is defined differently. As a rule, the function is seen as a means of adapting the library to existing social conditions and, in this regard, different groups of functions are distinguished: main, basic, general, essential, immanent, ontological, genetic, original, system-forming, external, specific, type-forming, historical, derivative, applied, additional, auxiliary, private, technological and others.

The library, as one of the elements of society, performs certain functions in it that are external to it. At the same time, it forms a system consisting of several elements with its own functions, which in relation to it act as internal,

The main distinguishing characteristic of social and technological functions is the scope of their distribution. Social are external functions that go beyond the library. They are formed under the influence of the needs of society and directly affect it and its individual members. Technological ones are internal functions that do not go beyond the library. They are a means for the library to carry out its social functions, are formed under their influence and ensure the implementation of the library’s activities in accordance with current standards. Technological functions act as secondary in relation to social ones and serve for their implementation.

The library has always existed and does not exist on its own; it is an element of society with its own range of responsibilities. The external functions of a library are its response to the needs of society, determined by the way it interacts with the external environment. As an artificially created system, the library realizes its social purpose through external functions, which is why they are most often called social.

With this in mind, the social functions of a library can be defined as the social role it performs as a social institution in relation to society.

Most researchers divide the social functions of libraries into several groups. The first attempt to classify social functions in 1977 was made by I.M. Frumin, naming general and specific ones. Following him, Yu. N. Stolyarov identified immanent, essential and others, V.R. Firsov - basic and subordinate, A. V. Sokolov - essential and applied, etc. E. T. Seliverstova even identified four groups of social functions: main, type-forming, derivative and additional.

When studying the activities of any social institution, including libraries, it is legitimate to highlight two interrelated aspects that characterize its essence and variability. In accordance with the first aspect, each social institution has an internal, unchanging essence that allows it to perform a clearly defined role in society, regardless of the historical period, the socio-demographic structure of society and the specific current tasks facing it. With this in mind, the essence of the library is manifested in the collection and storage of socially significant documents in order to satisfy the information needs of users. This was and is the main goal of libraries, regardless of what country they are located in, what user groups they serve, and what tasks their founders set for them. This allows us to assume that these social functions reflect the essence of the library and call them essential.

Consequently, the essential social functions of libraries are functions determined by the essence of the library as a social institution. The library began to perform these functions from the moment of its inception. Noting this, A.V. Sokolov emphasizes that these functions are primary, original and necessary. A change in the essential social functions would lead to the transformation of the library into another social institution, so they are stable, unchangeable and limited in composition.

The second aspect is characterized by variability, since in the process of development society is constantly transformed: its ideology, morality, religion, political and social structure change, the value system of society and its individual social groups is clarified. All this makes adjustments to the activities of libraries, puts forward new tasks for them, which, in turn, require changes to the internal organization of their work and clarification of the features of interaction with the external environment. The fulfillment of a social role related to changes in the external environment is carried out by libraries through derived social functions. These functions are associated with the desire of society to use the essential capabilities of libraries to solve current problems. Some of the derived functions appeared simultaneously with the essential ones, while others arose in the process of historical development. Due to their derivation from essential ones, they are considered secondary.

Essential social functions

We indicated above that essential functions should include those that define the essence of the library as a special social institution, indicate the purpose for which it was created and exists, what distinguishes it from other institutions or unites it with related ones.

In the approach to the formation of a list of essential social functions of libraries, two trends are observed - some authors (I.M. Frumin, L.A. Shilov, A.N. Khropach and others) name as essential:

Educational,

production function,

others (Yu. N. Stolyarov, A. V. Sokolov, V. R. Firsov, E. T. Seliverstova, I. K. Dzherelievskaya, N. V. Zhadko):

Cumulative

Memorial,

Communicative.

Recently, library scientists have engaged in an active search for the only function that defines the essence of the library as a social institution. The main methodological principle of this approach is the assertion that all social institutions, spheres of human activity, cultural products, including libraries, are characterized by a strict and unambiguous specific function.

In the early 1990s, information was put forward as the only essential social function. Proponents of this point of view argue that “the unity of most current concepts of the social role of the library lies in the fact that explicitly or implicitly, to a greater or lesser extent, attention is focused on the library’s information function” and that “despite the internal contradictions of the information approach to the analysis of prospects library development, it was he who became dominant.” Proponents of the information approach associate the revision of the attitude towards the information function with the search for “the place and role of the library in the information sphere”, the prospects for integrating “the library with other information institutions in the information infrastructure of society”, “the transition from restrained confrontation between the library community and the information sphere to recognition of the importance of informatization libraries”, a creative understanding of the experience of foreign colleagues, which “could help us gradually prepare for transformation into an information society with the lowest economic costs.”

In 1990, the information function was recognized by V.V. Skvortsov as the only essence for the library, since “the essence of the substance with which the library operates is not a document, not a publication, but information.” The same point of view was shared by N.I. Tyulina, according to whom the information function “is originally inherent in the library as a social institution”: it “comes out of the general list of library functions, no matter what criterion it is built by.”

Despite the widespread view of the information function as the main and only one, its content is interpreted in different ways: as informing the user about documents available in the library or outside it; as an activity for analytical and synthetic processing of information; as providing users with conceptual and factual information. There is also a broader understanding when all processes associated with the movement of information in the library are presented as a single information function.

Along with the information approach, the communication approach has also become widespread in recent times. Its founder is Yu. N. Stolyarov, who in the early 1980s, based on the fact that “the social purpose of the library... is to ensure a spatio-temporal act of communication,” came to the conclusion that “the immanent social function of the library is communicative." Subsequently, this function, along with other essential social ones, was called by V. R. Firsov, A. V. Sokolov, E. T. Seliverstova, I. K. Dzherelievskaya, M. S. Slobodyanik, N. V. Zhadko.

From our proposed definition of the “social function of a library,” taking into account the positions of scientists, it follows that the essential social functions are determined by the social purpose of the library. Consequently, the essential functions should be those that ensure the collection, storage of documents and satisfaction of user needs, that is, communication, cumulative and memorial.

Communication function of libraries

The main goal of libraries - meeting the information needs of users - is realized through communication between the document and the user, therefore it is reasonable to call this function communication. By performing it, the library acts as an organizer of the place and time of meeting of documents produced at different times, by different authors and dispersed in different points of space, with users located in a specific space-time continuum. The main form of implementation of this function is to directly provide the user with the documents he needs for a certain time, both in the library and outside it. The communication function ensures access to documents and their prompt receipt by all interested users.

The library's performance of a communication function is also associated with providing users with information about the document array. In accordance with the user's request, they can be limited by one or another framework: place and time of document production, authorship, subject, purpose, storage location and other parameters. This activity is carried out through the use of various types of documents created both in the library and outside it: catalogues, card files, bibliographic indexes, existing both on paper and electronic media. The information obtained in this way is used in the future as auxiliary for continuing the search for necessary documents and as the basis for conducting bibliographic examination.

In the approach to the formation of a list of essential social functions of libraries, two trends are observed - some authors (I.M. Frumin, L.A. Shilov, A.N. Khropach and others) name as essential:

Ш educational,

Ш production function,

others (Yu. N. Stolyarov, A. V. Sokolov, V. R. Firsov, E. T. Seliverstova, I. K. Dzherelievskaya, N. V. Zhadko):

Sh cumulative,

Sh memorial,

Sh communicative.

Communication function of libraries

The main goal of libraries - meeting the information needs of users - is realized through communication between the document and the user, so it is reasonable to call this function communication By performing it, the library acts as an organizer of the place and time of meeting of documents produced at different times, by different authors and dispersed in different points of space, with users located in a specific space-time continuum. The main form of implementation of this function is to directly provide the user with the documents he needs for a certain time, both in the library and outside it. The communication function ensures access to documents and their prompt receipt by all interested users.

In accordance with the communication function, the library provides the user not only with the document itself or information about it, but also with the information directly necessary for him. The implementation of this type of activity is associated with a higher level of library service. In this case, the library takes upon itself the responsibility to provide the user not with documents containing the information he needs, as is the case in most cases, but, based on the study and analysis of their content, the end result - the information he is interested in. This work can be performed in the traditional mode, when the user receives the appropriate certificate orally or in writing, or electronically, when a search in the information array is carried out using certain technical and software tools, and the user becomes the owner of the information he needs, often without even visiting libraries and without meeting a librarian.

The library also performs a communication function when it organizes the process of communication directly between users, bypassing the process of creating documents. In this case, some of the users who are carriers of socially significant information also act as real or potential authors of documents.

This type of communication is carried out during various events (meetings, discussions, round tables, conferences and others) with the participation of scientists, writers, poets, politicians and other owners of information of interest to library users. These activities, as a rule, combine oral communication with the use of various types of documents. They are typical for libraries of different types, but the forms of their implementation are varied and specific. Thus, in public libraries, these events are often associated with familiarization with literary works and other types of art, meetings with writers, directors, composers, discussions of current social issues with politicians, economists, lawyers, and the organization of free time for users.

In special, for example, scientific and technical libraries, such events are characterized by a highly specialized focus and most often take place in the form of presentations, meetings, round tables and discussions with the participation of scientists and specialists of a certain profile, bearers of scientific and technological ideas. Thanks to this activity, libraries are able to significantly shorten the path for users to access new ideas, that is, bypass the documentary stage.

Thus, the library carries out the communication function by providing the user with a document, information about it, the information contained in it, organizing oral communication between users and real or potential authors of documents or carriers of socially significant information. A criterion for the effectiveness of a library’s communication function should be the organization of the most complete and prompt access of users to the documents they need. The ideal option for performing this function is to instantly provide the user with a comprehensive list of all the documents he needs.

Cumulative function of libraries

To ensure communication between users and the documents they need, these documents must first be collected, which is the content cumulative function. Thanks to its implementation, the library collects in one place documents of different form and content, created at different times and in different points of space by different authors. To implement this function, information about documents being prepared for release and distributed, as well as the absence of various barriers, primarily political, to their free acquisition and the availability of the required resources at the library to replenish the collection are of decisive importance. The ideal option for performing the cumulative function is to consider a collection in one place of all documents produced by humanity.

Memorial function of libraries

However, to fulfill its mission, it is not enough for a library to collect documents at one point in space; it is also necessary to ensure their distribution over time, which is achieved through memorial function. Its essence lies in preserving the totality of collected documents for the purpose of transmitting them to subsequent generations. The main difficulty in performing this function is associated with natural and social shocks: floods, fires, earthquakes, revolutions, wars, as a result of which a number of documents are destroyed, which sometimes even leads to a break in continuity between eras and generations.

The implementation of the memorial function allows us to consider the library a memory of humanity. Its ideal implementation means “memorizing” everything that has been created by humanity, i.e. eternal storage of all documents collected in the library.

Communication, cumulative and memorial functions are in a dialectical relationship.

If the cumulative and communication functions ensure the movement of documents in space, that is, their concentration at one point in space and then dispersal among various categories of users, then the memorial function determines their movement in time, from the present to the future.

All three named functions arose simultaneously with the emergence of the library, and without the fulfillment of any one of them, it cannot exist as a social institution. At the same time, the simultaneous performance of essential functions leads to the emergence of objective contradictions in the activities of libraries. These contradictions are clearly manifested, for example, between cumulative and memorial functions. As already noted, the essence of the cumulative function is to collect different types of documents at one point in space, that is, the more documents are collected in the library, the more successfully it fulfills its cumulative function. The essence of the memorial function comes down to ensuring the safety of all collected documents for as long as possible, preferably forever. The fewer documents there are in the library, the easier it is to achieve safety. The constant increase in the volume of library collections as a result of their performing a cumulative function leads to a shortage of storage space.

These contradictions can be resolved by reducing the volume of the fund or increasing the area of storage facilities. Reducing the physical volume of the collection is achieved by reducing the number of documents located in the library's repositories, or reducing the volume of the documents themselves.

The traditional, centuries-tested method of resolving the contradictions under consideration is to increase the volume of storage facilities through the construction and rental of new buildings and premises. At the same time, this is an extensive way to solve the problem, since the increasing volume of documents requires more and more new premises, the acquisition and operation of which requires large financial expenses.

A more effective and promising way is to reduce the volume of the documents themselves. Reducing the number of documents is achieved by determining the optimal completeness of the library collection, clearly recording the topics and types of documents to be acquired, their number, and storage periods. A significant reduction in volume is also achieved through coordination and cooperation in the field of collection formation with other libraries in the region or industry. Achieving the absolute completeness of the collection, that is, the ideal performance of a cumulative function by a library as a social institution, is possible only through the coordinated actions of libraries around the world, when each of them, collecting its own, strictly defined part of documents, thus forms the whole - the information resource of the world library.

In order to reduce the physical volume of collections, libraries have also always sought to minimize the volume of documents. This is achieved both by the creation of new types of thin and at the same time durable types of paper, and by reducing the font. The best example in this aspect can be small books. In the second half of the 20th century. This direction received active development thanks to the creation of new compact types of documents, first microfilms and microfiches, and somewhat later - electronic ones. Libraries strive both to acquire these documents instead of or in parallel with paper ones, and to transfer documents from traditional ones to new, more compact media. For example, the RNTB fund, which mainly includes patents, standards, descriptions of inventions and other materials, consists of 80% microforms. Despite financial difficulties, the number of electronic media in the collections of the largest libraries has increased sharply over the past decade, and the volume of information contained in them in some cases already exceeds that of paper media. The implementation of programs such as “Memory of the World” is also aimed at eliminating this contradiction.

No less complex are the contradictions between memorial and communication functions. A high degree of security of documents is ensured not only by the necessary storage conditions (appropriate temperature, humidity, light conditions, etc.), but also by the degree of use of the documents. For the ideal performance of the memorial function, the use of the fund, that is, the issuance of documents to users, should be stopped altogether. Indeed, during use, documents are subject to additional stress, their storage regime is violated, in addition, the document can be damaged or even lost, which reduces the memorial function to zero. In accordance with the communication function, on the contrary, it is important to achieve the most frequent use of documents.

In order to eliminate this contradiction, large libraries, primarily national ones, form insurance funds that are not subject to active use. One common option is for public libraries to purchase large quantities of documents that are in high demand. In a number of libraries, especially special ones, copying of documents is actively used with the aim of subsequently issuing copies rather than originals. An important step towards solving this problem is the acquisition of modern electronic documents, since they are compact in storage, easily archived to create insurance copies, and the activity of their use has virtually no effect on long-term storage.

The interaction between communication and cumulative functions is not without contradictions. As already noted, the essence of the cumulative function is the concentration of documents at one point in space, and their repeated dispersal, that is, issuance, is extremely undesirable, since at this time the document may be needed by other users. In the interests of fulfilling the communication function, documents should be as close as possible geographically to users who have the right to have the required number of them on hand. This contradiction is resolved by creating an extensive network of libraries of various profiles, organizing both direct and indirect user access to information resources, and formulating requirements for the conditions for using documents. To eliminate the contradiction, large collections are created, different in form and content, of documents collected at one point in space, which can be accessed by users regardless of their location at the time an information need arises. National, regional, and leading university libraries usually have such collections. Their services can be used by all residents, both directly and indirectly. Library services are usually used directly by users who are geographically closest to their location. The rest use them at a distance with the help of the IBA, bibliographic aids published by the library, including printed catalogs, bibliographic indexes, lists of new acquisitions, abstracts, reviews and other publications that reveal both the library’s collection and the information flow according to a certain parameter.

In addition, to remove the contradiction between the communication and cumulative functions, libraries strive to bring collections of documents as close as possible to the place of residence, work and leisure of readers. Library collections are formed in accordance with the information needs of potential users - residents of a certain locality or part thereof, employees of an enterprise or organization, teachers and students of certain educational institutions, etc. The collections include several copies of the same document title, which makes it possible to use one and the same document to many users at the same time. Libraries acquire modern electronic documents, which, if certain technical means are available, can be used by several visitors at the same time. This creates favorable conditions for communication between the user and the document.

In order to eliminate the contradictions between cumulative and memorial functions, a network of libraries is being formed in each state that meets the needs and capabilities of society.

To summarize what has been said, we note that the essential functions of libraries - communication, cumulative, memorial - cannot be subject to transformation, they are stable, even a change in the socio-economic formation cannot affect them. Remaining unchanged, they only deepen their content and improve under the influence of changes occurring in society.

Essential functions are inherent in libraries of all types and types, but are implemented in different ways, which is manifested in the completeness of the collection, the storage period of documents, the range of users and the conditions for their service. Thus, national libraries strive to form a collection of national documents as completely as possible and ensure their storage for as long as possible. Direct service to users in the mode of issuing documents for temporary use is given much less attention than to the creation of a national bibliography, databases and data banks, and remote service. Small public libraries, on the other hand, focus their activities on direct service to users. Libraries of educational institutions in many countries, when forming their collections, do not seek to acquire a wide range of diverse documents, but, on the contrary, limit themselves to a narrow range of educational publications, but acquire them in large quantities. After losing relevance for the purposes of the educational process, these benefits are excluded from the fund and replaced by others.

Organizing the work of libraries taking into account their specifics and features of essential functions, as well as methods for resolving objectively arising contradictions between them, makes it possible to achieve a balance between their implementation and avoid the occurrence of conflict situations. Understanding the objective nature of the contradictions that arise between the essential functions of libraries and knowing how to minimize their negative consequences will contribute to the creation of a balanced system that takes into account the characteristics of all these functions and the formation of an optimal unified network of libraries in the country.

The concept of Vlfunction" is one of the main ones in the terminological apparatus of any science. With its help, the meaning, role of objects of reality, responsibilities performed, goals and purpose of individual processes and elements of existing systems are determined. In the content of the concept under consideration, experts see what is common to related social systems and those features that allow them to be differentiated.

The concept of "Vlfunction" plays a special role within the framework of the systems approach, where it appears in close connection with the concept of structure. In library science, an example of such an understanding of functions is the structural and functional analysis of the library as a system carried out by Yu. N. Stolyarov.

Despite the key position of the concept “Vlfunction” in the apparatus of science, in modern library science there is no generally accepted understanding of it, and the composition of the functions of libraries is defined differently. As a rule, the function is seen as a means of adapting the library to existing social conditions and, in this regard, different groups of functions are distinguished: main, basic, general, essential, immanent, ontological, genetic, original, system-forming, external, specific, type-forming, historical, derivative, applied, additional, auxiliary, private, technological and others.

With this in mind, the social functions of a library can be defined as the social role it performs as a social institution in relation to society.

Essential social functions

In the approach to the formation of a list of essential social functions of libraries, two trends are observed - some authors (I.M. Frumin, L.A. Shilov, A.N. Khropach and others) name as essential:

Ø educational,

Ø production function,

others (Yu. N. Stolyarov, A. V. Sokolov, V. R. Firsov, E. T. Seliverstova, I. K. Dzherelievskaya, N. V. Zhadko):

Ø cumulative,

Ø memorial,

Ø communicative.

In the early 1990s, information was put forward as the only essential social function. Proponents of this point of view argue that the essence of most current concepts of the social role of the library is that explicitly or implicitly, to a greater or lesser extent, attention is focused on the library’s performance of the information function “and that, despite the internal inconsistency of the information approach to the analysis of the prospects for library development , it was he who became dominant." Proponents of the information approach associate the revision of the attitude to the information function with the search for the place and role of the library in the information sphere, prospects for the integration of the library with other information institutions in the information infrastructure of society, the transition from restrained confrontation between the library community and the information sphere to recognition of the importance of informatization of libraries, creative understanding of the experience of foreign colleagues, which could help us gradually prepare for transformation into an information society with the lowest economic costs.”

In 1990, the information function was recognized by V.V. Skvortsov as the only essence for the library, since the essence of the substance with which the library operates is not a document, not a publication, but information.” The same point of view was shared by N.I. Tyulina, according to whom the information function is “originally inherent in the library as a social institution”: it “comes out of the general list of library functions, no matter what criterion it is built by.”

Along with the information approach, the communication approach has also become widespread in recent times. Its founder is Yu. N. Stolyarov, who in the early 1980s, based on the fact that the “social purpose of the library... is to ensure the spatio-temporal act of communication”, came to the conclusion that the “immanent social function of the library is communicative”. Subsequently, this function, along with other essential social ones, was called by V. R. Firsov, A. V. Sokolov, E. T. Seliverstova, I. K. Dzherelievskaya, M. S. Slobodyanik, N. V. Zhadko.

From our proposed definition of the “social function of a library”, taking into account the positions of scientists, it follows that the essential social functions are determined by the social purpose of the library. Consequently, the essential functions should be those that ensure the collection, storage of documents and satisfaction of user needs, that is, communication, cumulative and memorial.

Communication function of libraries

Cumulative function of libraries

To ensure communication between users and the documents they need, these documents must first be collected, which is the content of the cumulative function. Thanks to its implementation, the library collects in one place documents of different form and content, created at different times and in different points of space by different authors. To implement this function, information about documents being prepared for release and distributed, as well as the absence of various barriers, primarily political, to their free acquisition and the availability of the required resources at the library to replenish the collection are of decisive importance. The ideal option for performing the cumulative function is to consider a collection in one place of all documents produced by humanity.

Memorial function of libraries

However, to fulfill its mission, it is not enough for a library to collect documents at one point in space; it is also necessary to ensure their dissemination over time, which is achieved through the performance of a memorial function. Its essence lies in preserving the totality of collected documents for the purpose of transmitting them to subsequent generations. The main difficulty in performing this function is associated with natural and social shocks: floods, fires, earthquakes, revolutions, wars, as a result of which a number of documents are destroyed, which sometimes even leads to a break in continuity between eras and generations.

The implementation of the memorial function allows us to consider the library a memory of humanity. Its ideal implementation means “remembering” everything that has been created by humanity, i.e. eternal storage of all documents collected in the library.

Communication, cumulative and memorial functions are in a dialectical relationship.

In order to reduce the physical volume of collections, libraries have also always sought to minimize the volume of documents. This is achieved both by the creation of new types of thin and at the same time durable types of paper, and by reducing the font. The best example in this aspect can be small books. In the second half of the 20th century. This direction received active development thanks to the creation of new compact types of documents, first microfilms and microfiches, and somewhat later - electronic ones. Libraries strive both to acquire these documents instead of or in parallel with paper ones, and to transfer documents from traditional ones to new, more compact media. For example, the RNTB fund, which mainly includes patents, standards, descriptions of inventions and other materials, consists of 80% microforms. Despite financial difficulties, the number of electronic media in the collections of the largest libraries has increased sharply over the past decade, and the volume of information contained in them in some cases already exceeds that of paper media. The implementation of programs like “Memory of the World” is also aimed at eliminating this contradiction.”

In order to eliminate the contradictions between cumulative and memorial functions, a network of libraries is being formed in each state that meets the needs and capabilities of society.

Derived social functions

As noted above, the essential functions are specified in a large number of derivatives, determined by specific socio-political and economic conditions, and current tasks that society sets for libraries. The list of derived social functions of libraries is not precisely defined. Most often, among them, experts name the functions: to help education, self-education, upbringing, development of science and production, educational, hedonistic, ideological, cultural and educational, compensatory, therapeutic, scientific and production, educational, pedagogical, cognitive, educational, recreational, educational

Based on the main areas of activity of modern libraries, in the process of implementing essential functions, in our opinion, the following main derived social functions can be identified:

Ø promoting education and upbringing,

Ø information support for scientific and production activities, library social function self-education

Ø sociocultural.

Each of them can act as dominant compared to the others in a particular library.

The most studied is the group of functions that can conditionally be called pedagogical. Among them, the most often mentioned are educational, training, educational, educational, to help education and self-education, and others

The area of activity related to self-education has been further developed in public libraries and now consists of providing users with documents that contribute to the further development of their general educational and professional knowledge. This manifestation of the educational function of libraries is largely related to leisure activities, which are aimed at promoting the development of individual inclinations of users not related to their profession (learning foreign languages, technical modeling and design, cooking, cutting and sewing, gardening, vegetable gardening, etc.). d.).

The educational function is implemented through the formation of a fund of necessary documents and making them available to students and teachers, through various public events aimed at achieving educational goals.

A number of specialists have devoted their work to studying the functions of libraries in this group. Thus, A. Ya. Aizenberg classifies educational and educational functions, along with production and auxiliary ones, as among the main social ones. He sees the meaning of the educational function in the fact that libraries, by promoting various types of education of readers, contribute to raising their cultural level, spiritual enrichment of a person, nurturing a scientific worldview, and strengthening cognitive interest.” A. N. Khropach believes that the educational function lies in a comprehensive educational impact on subscribers.

N. E. Dobrynina includes among her main functions educational functions, the essence of which is the dissemination of knowledge.” The object of the library’s educational activities, believes N. E. Dobrynina, is “the most diverse categories of readers, and in the center is the individual with his free, and unrestricted, interests.” In her opinion, it is impossible to equate the educational and educational functions, “Because the second implies the formation of a certain type of personality, instilling in her certain ideas, instilling the qualities necessary, from the point of view of the educator, and is associated with the concept of “Leadership”, which has become discredited in our country. readingB".

While studying the interaction of library science with pedagogy, V. I. Tereshin repeatedly spoke out for the need to form library pedagogy as a scientific and practical discipline. In his opinion, the library is a pedagogical system, and therefore the pedagogical function is one of the fundamental ones for libraries. “The Library, leading readers into the world of information (and information always acts as knowledge), to the heights of culture, to the socialization of the individual, performs a pedagogical function that covers almost all of its activities.” The understanding of the pedagogical function of libraries as instruction for children and adults was formed in Soviet library science into the theory of reading guidance.

The essence of the activities of a modern library, with rare exceptions, is not in the direct implementation of the process of education and upbringing, but in promoting it as an auxiliary structure. Therefore, in our opinion, it is more appropriate to call this function the function of promoting education and upbringing. It is inherent in libraries of different types and types, but they are implemented taking into account their own goals and objectives.

The next most often called by specialists is the function of promoting the development of science and production. In the specialized literature, it is sometimes referred to as the following: scientific information, scientific production, production, information support for science and production, ensuring scientific and technological progress, to help scientific and technological progress, to help professional production and scientific work, production auxiliary.

The task of promoting the development of science and individual branches of production was set before Soviet libraries during the period of industrialization and extended to libraries of all types. The meaning of this direction is to provide information for scientific research, as well as various types of activities for the production of industrial goods, agricultural products, and various services using documents containing the information necessary for this. Libraries do not directly produce any goods or services (except for library services), so it is advisable to call this function the function of information support for scientific and production activities. Libraries implement it by forming collections of documents that correspond to the goals and objectives of a particular type of activity, and making them available to certain categories of readers. This function is typical for all special scientific and technical libraries, the collections of which are usually very highly specialized, taking into account the needs of the field of activity of the enterprise and organization of which they are structural divisions. University libraries perform this function by promoting the development of science, self-education and advanced training of certain categories of users.

For public libraries it is typical to a lesser extent and is implemented along with others. Libraries of this type currently carry out this function by promoting the development of small and medium-sized businesses, the activities of small enterprises and organizations for which it is not practical to maintain their own libraries.

Often, including in official documents, a library is called a cultural institution and its main functions include cultural, cultural-educational, leisure, recreational and others. Since the library is part of universal human culture and at the same time represents one of the most important factors in its development, dissemination, renewal and increase in cultural heritage, this function can be defined as sociocultural. V.V. Skvortsov compares the library to a two-way street: “In one direction, through the efforts of librarians, information about existing cultural achievements reaches readers, and in the other direction, information about its newly created values moves.” However, it should be noted that this movement is based on the library performing essential functions that ensure the collection, storage and distribution of documents containing information about the cultural achievements of different peoples.

In this context, culture is understood in a narrow sense as a branch of activity for the creation and use of certain values; the library’s implementation of this function is carried out in two directions. The first of them is to ensure the development of culture with the necessary documents and is typical for public and certain types of special libraries. Libraries of educational institutions, research and production institutions

They look at it together.

The social purpose of the library is the collection, storage and provision of documents to the user. Hence its ontological function - communication,those. ensuring communication between the document and the user. The presence of a library is an objective necessity for the existence of any social institution, a social law of its successful activity.

A number of experts believe that the library performs an information function. Moreover, they claim that this function is the most important. However the document carries the information, not even a fund, much less not a library. If it performs an information function, it is indirectly, i.e. through documents that make up the library collection. The function of the library as a system is precisely communication: to connect the user with a document that contains the required information. What the user will do with this information: whether he will assimilate it, whether he will use it for good or harm - the library is not responsible for this. Its task is to find a document with the necessary documentation, provide it, make it easier to use in every possible way, but that’s all! In rare cases, at the request of the user and within his competence, the librarian may take upon himself the responsibility to explain the content of the document, evaluate it, and recommend using other sources on the same issue.

It is more correct to assume that the library performs the function of information support serviced institute. Its intended purpose is to provide users with help in satisfying a variety of information needs, covering all aspects of life, socialization and self-realization, be it (self) education, (self) training, (self) education, health, as well as business, politics, management, entertainment. In other words, it performs auxiliary production, auxiliary educational, auxiliary scientific and other functions. The library plays a leading role in promoting cultural progress and informatization of society.

Throughout the millennia of its existence, the library has fulfilled educational function, introducing the population to all the knowledge developed by humanity in all spheres: science, art, literature, politics, economics, morality, worldview, etc. The library performs the function socialization, making it easier for individuals to adapt to society through information on a wide range of issues related to their livelihoods and social adaptability. A particular manifestation of the function is value-regulatory. It orients the individual in social values, their hierarchy in each historical period, in each specific society.

The library has the ability to carry out reactionary function, presenting entertaining literature to users, organizing recreational evenings, humorous shows and similar entertainment events. The fulfillment of this function radically distinguishes the library from other documentary and communication systems such as archives, scientific and technical information bodies.

Pragmatic function libraries allows it to be a valuable aid in solving any production, educational, business, management and similar issues. The activities of libraries are subject to the needs of users, as a result of which the essential functions of each of them are manifested in a special way, while the main one – documentary and communication – remains unchanged.

Depending on the type and type, the specifics of the problems solved by the library and the information needs of its users, certain functions come to the fore, and then the rest play a supporting role or disappear altogether. It is difficult, for example, to expect that an academic library, unlike, say, a library at a holiday home, will perform an entertainment function, although as a short-term leisure activity a scientist may be interested in a humorous publication or a crossword puzzle. On the contrary, it is unlawful to demand from a rural library that it satisfy scientific needs, but its performance of cultural and educational functions, as well as other functions (assistance in studying, raising children, home economics, gardening and horticulture), is quite legitimate.

The content of library activities is to provide users with library products, as well as library, bibliographic, and information services, upon their requests. The provision of basic free services is guaranteed by the Federal Law on Librarianship.” The user has the right to freely receive any non-confidential documented information.