Jelena Cuca
Gradska biblioteka Vršac
jelena.angelovski@gmail.com

doi: 10.19090/cit.2018.32.61-66
No. 32 (May 2018), p. 61-66

Development of Public Libraries as Open Spaces
in the Digital Era and Their Role in Democratization of Society

Summary

With the advent of the digital era, information is more accessible than ever. Libraries must answer the question: How does digitization change the role of libraries as an infrastructure for an open and enlightened public discourse? Digitization brings individualization of the society. Through this process, library gives all the knowledge and information to users, in seconds, wherever they are and whatever device they use. Users do not need to come to the library, thereby depriving a social aspect that implies user contact with librarians and other users. This comfort brings with it a problem: How will the function of the library and the users’ attitude change in the context of content digitization and their greater accessibility? This paper presents an analysis of defi nitions, theories and dominant trends that shape today’s movement of society, the concept of social capital, the public sphere, the role of libraries as a meeting place, and the operation of libraries in the era of digitization.The starting assumption is that society moves from socialization towards individualization and libraries have an impact on that fl ow. Using the comparative and historical, thereby critical methods, the ways in which libraries can actively participate in the development of social capital and take the primary place in a digital society are explored. With the perception of public libraries that have characteristics of places of high and low intensity meetings, the paper off ers practical solutions on how to attract as many users as possible to participate actively in the life of a community and democracy building.

Keywords:

Public libraries, digitization, public discourse, social capital, democracy, social impact

Submitted: 4th September 2017
Correction to the manuscript: 16th February 2018
Accepted for publication: 24th February 2018

Development of Public Libraries as Open Spaces in the Digital Era and Their Role in Democratization of Society by Jelena Cuca is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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