Unit 1.3: Role of Public Libraries in Modern Society.
MLIS-102 (D): Public Libraries
1. Society
The term "society" holds various meanings, encompassing different aspects of human interaction and organisation:
• Community of Individuals: Society can describe a community where people live together, sharing common interests and often having distinct customs and institutions. It represents the collective way of life of a group of individuals.
• Distinct Cultural Groups: Society may refer to specific cultural groups of people, such as Tamilian society, Punjabi society, or Gujarati society. It highlights the unique characteristics and practices of these cultural groups.
• National or Regional Identity: It can also denote a broader sense of society, such as Indian society, Chinese society, English society, French society, or German society. These encompass the people living in a particular country or region who share a sense of identity and culture.
• Organized Groups: The term "society" can be applied to organised groups with shared interests or purposes, whether religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or related to other objectives. These societies work collectively to achieve common goals.
• Human Relationships: Society can be understood as a totality of human relationships. It exists when group members know each other and share common interests, reflecting the social bonds and connections that define the group.
In essence, society is an aggregate of individuals living together as interdependent members within a structured system of communities. Psychologically, people identify with belonging to an organised group, providing them protection, continuity, security, and a sense of identity. Crucially, society emerges from reciprocal human social relationships and interactions. The connections, mutual interests, and shared understanding among members within a group are essential for forming society. Libraries play a role in fostering and strengthening social relationships within these groups by providing spaces and opportunities for academic and cultural activities and information sharing.
Modern societies have increasingly depended on institutions to address various societal needs and issues. These institutions have become integral to politics, culture, and economics. They serve as the foundation for utilising national resources, economic development, educational advancement, infrastructure development, and maintaining law and order. For every societal activity, institutions have evolved to fulfil specific roles. Institutions play a significant part in shaping the national economy, social structure, educational system, science and technology, political system, financial and economic system, and cultural identity.
2. Modern Society
Modern society has undergone significant transformations, evolving through distinct stages that have shaped human history. The key revolutions that have left their mark on society include the agricultural revolution, industrial revolution, information and communication technology (ICT) revolution, and knowledge revolution. Each of these revolutions has introduced unique elements into society and has contributed to its ongoing development:
• Agricultural Revolution: This revolution allowed for the production of enough food to meet the basic needs of a substantial portion of the population. It marked a significant shift from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer way of life to settled agricultural communities.
• Industrial Revolution: The Industrial Revolution brought profound and permanent changes to the means of production. It led to the creation of urban centres and the mass production of material goods, enabled by technological advancements and the division of labour. This period laid the foundation for the modern city.
• Information Society: The information society introduced technological tools that revolutionised the production of information and the delivery of public services. Concepts like e-governance, e-commerce, e-business, e-learning, e-health, and e-publication have fundamentally altered how institutions and organisations conduct their work, especially in business, education, and logistics.
• Knowledge Society: In a knowledge society, knowledge becomes the primary production resource, surpassing capital and labour in importance.
Modern society, as we understand it today, began to take shape following the Industrial Revolution. It encompasses post-industrial, information, and knowledge societies. Several factors facilitated the transition from traditional to modern society, including changes in lifestyle, increased awareness, competition, shifting human values, and economic freedom driven by advancements in technology, science, education, and computers.
In the modern era, consumerism, commercialisation, and globalisation have further accelerated societies' transformation into modern forms. The pace of social change in modern society is notably rapid, largely due to the emergence of institutions that serve as the underlying structures and mechanisms for maintaining social order. These institutions play a critical role in shaping the direction and speed of societal change, reflecting the dynamic nature of modern society, with its ever-evolving values, technologies, and social structures.
3. Libraries and Society
• Mutual Interdependence: Libraries and society are not separate entities but are deeply interconnected and interdependent, serving as integral components of the human experience.
• Information and Human Development: Information plays a vital role in all-round human development, empowering individuals with education, skills, and the transition from education to the workforce.
• Lifelong Learning and Cultural Development: Libraries provide the foundational conditions for lifelong learning, independent decision-making, and cultural enrichment for individuals and social groups.
• Gateways to Knowledge and Culture: Libraries serve as gateways to knowledge and culture, offering numerous learning opportunities that drive economic, social, and cultural development.
• Crucial for All Sectors: Libraries are essential for institutions across sectors, including education, research, and services, as they offer effective access to information for cultural, economic, and social development.
• Supporting Education: Educational institutions rely on libraries to support formal and informal education, bridge the digital divide, and foster innovation.
• Community Empowerment: Libraries are instrumental in raising awareness among underprivileged sections of society, providing information about skill development, employment opportunities, and engagement in social and economic sectors.
• Citizen Empowerment: Libraries help create well-informed citizens who can exercise their democratic rights and actively contribute to societal development, human freedom, and prosperity.
• Role in Governance: The state, a significant institutional player, relies on libraries to disseminate information about governmental policies, projects, programs, and decision-making processes, promoting trade and culture.
• Preservation of Knowledge: Libraries serve as rich repositories of historically and culturally significant collections, preserving knowledge created by past and present generations.
• Unique Collections: Libraries house materials unavailable elsewhere and crucial for preserving humanity's collective knowledge and heritage.
• Capturing Traditional and Digital Knowledge: Libraries play a vital role in capturing and preserving traditional knowledge, "born digital" works like websites and electronic journals, and rare documents not available in print.
• Symbiotic Relationship: Libraries and society have a symbiotic relationship. Societal advancements, especially in information and communication technology, have transformed libraries, making them more democratic and user-oriented.
• Meeting Modern Expectations: As societies modernise, libraries have adapted to meet the diverse needs and expectations of modern society, which includes individuals of all age groups, classes, races, ethnicities, and abilities.
• Integral to Progress: Society and libraries are inseparable, each contributing to the growth and development of the other. Libraries have become integral to societal progress, and society has nurtured the development and significance of libraries.
The dynamic interplay between libraries and society is a cornerstone of human advancement and knowledge dissemination, fostering both entities' well-being and development.
4. Functional Role of Libraries in Modern Society
Libraries are pivotal in contemporary societies, which are increasingly driven by information and knowledge. These roles can be categorised into several key areas:
Supporting Higher Education:
• Providing access to knowledge resources, materials, and research materials for education, teaching, and training.
• Disseminating and distributing information to education stakeholders.
• Serving as gateways to global library collections.
• Promoting informal self-education and lifelong learning.
User Education and Literacy:
• Encouraging good reading habits.
• Fostering information literacy and computer literacy.
• Promoting the use of library collections and services.
Cultural and Recreational Support: Supporting various groups and organisations' educational, civic, and cultural activities.
Library as a Space:
• Creating inspiring physical spaces that encourage academic pursuits and creativity.
• Acting as an information commons and a hub for learning.
Social and Cultural Roles:
• Democratizing information and knowledge.
• Connecting people with information and knowledge sources.
• Providing underprivileged segments of society with awareness about social and economic opportunities.
• Offering community information resources.
• Promoting awareness of state programs like mass literacy.
• Organizing cultural activities for social harmony, such as book discussions and lectures.
• Supporting civic and cultural activities of various groups and organisations.
• Preserving knowledge for posterity.
• Capturing and preserving traditional knowledge.
• Serving as a gateway to local and national government information.
Information Preservation and Archiving: Safeguarding historical records, manuscripts, rare documents, and culturally significant materials for future generations.
Research and Innovation Support: Providing access to academic journals, databases, and research materials, fostering innovation and knowledge creation.
Digital Literacy and Technology Access: Bridging the digital divide by offering access to computers and the internet, promoting digital literacy and technological skills.
Community Engagement and Inclusivity: Offering community spaces for diverse activities, making libraries hubs for people of all backgrounds.
Local History and Culture Promotion: Hosting exhibitions and events celebrating local history, culture, and traditions, strengthening community ties and fostering identity.
Legal and Government Resources: Providing access to legal resources, government publications, and information related to civic participation.
Lifelong Learning Support: Encouraging continuous learning through programs for all age groups.
Job and Career Resources: Assisting job seekers with resources, job search assistance, and access to job listings.
Health Information Access: Offering reliable health information to promote public health awareness and well-being.
Crisis Response and Community Resilience: Serving as crisis response centres during emergencies, natural disasters, or public health crises.
Environmental Sustainability Education: Raising awareness about sustainability, climate change, and conservation.
Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives: Promoting diversity and inclusion through multicultural collections and events.
Social Services Information: Providing information on social services and support networks for vulnerable individuals.
Citizen Empowerment: Empowering citizens to participate in democracy through civic engagement resources.
Economic Development Support: Offering resources for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local industries to contribute to economic growth.
Promotion of Intellectual Freedom: Upholding intellectual freedom principles to ensure access to a wide range of ideas and knowledge.
These roles illustrate the multifaceted contributions of libraries to modern society, serving as invaluable resources for individuals, communities, and the nation as a whole.
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