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The neoinstitutional approach as a theoretical-methodological basis for studying the library profession
N. V. Lopatina
Bibliosfera. – 2015. – N 2. – P. 28-32.
Abstract
The article main idea is to search a new theoretical-methodological tool to explore the position of the library profession in the modern society. As an alternative to structural-functional and traditional social-institutional approaches in librarianship the author offers a neoinstitutional approach and considers the library profession as a modern social institution.
It proves that reproduction of the library as a social institution in modern conditions is the result of qualified activity of the library professionals; the structure of library practices is created in the interaction zone of meanings, norms and authorities. Not the structure affects a librarian, but a librarian as an actor can interact with the structure or oppose it, meanwhile the reproduction of social relations possessing relevant characteris-tics takes place.
The author shows how a number of contemporary issues of librarianship is determined by contradictions be-tween the structure reproducing the library only as an institution of material culture, and the librarian as an ac-tor owning both traditions and ideas, beliefs, theories of new content.
To study the library profession positions in the occupational structure of modern society a specific instrument – the differentiation of subjects of social action – is applied. At the junction of neoinstitutional and polysystemic approaches at least three pairs of «high resource – low resource subjects» can be distinguished, which deter-mine the content of modern library practices: the status distribution in the chain «a librarian – a mass actor», the professional community differentiation in terms of status-role differences, studying the balance of forces across the information infrastructure of society.
Keywords: librarian, library, social-institutional approach, library profession, neo-institutional approach, informatization,
information society.