Library as a Social Institution: In modern societies all activities of the people are organized through institutions. So, social institution is a product of the society. It is created to work as a medium for expressing its social processes and it carries them out through its techniques developed for the purpose. It is a form of social order.
Lowell Martin states:
“A social institution is an integrated pattern of human relationship
established by the common will and serving some vital human need.” This
definition indicates that social institution deals with the integrated pattern
of human being in the society. Their pattern is caused through the interaction
among the people as a vital social need. For example, religious institution
looks after the belief and unity, educational institution like school, college,
and universities promote knowledge, skill and socialization processes of the
society. These institutions incorporate a body of formal or informal rules and
regulations through which activities of a society are carried out or regulated.
1. Need of Library as Social Institution: We are living in an information age in which information
plays an important role in the complex, economic, political and social
environment. Information plays a crucial role in keeping the citizens well
informed so that they can exercise their right as citizens of a democracy
properly. It is the information which allows us to change and improve the
society. Decision makers always seek information. Modern executives, farmers in
the field, workers in the factory and others need information while launching a
new product, plugging the field or building a skyscraper about the state of
resources and knowledge about the uncertain future events that may have to
face. The researcher, the teacher, the student, the administrator, the
industrial and business managers, the entrepreneur, the farmers, the workers in
a factory etc all need information to equip themselves better for the fruitful
pursuit of their respective vocation.
In a modern society, every human activity is organized
through institution. The society also needs the institution to look after the
above matters. The said institution in the broadest and most practical sense
should be a force for social betterment. No one can imagine other social institutions
except the library that can be entrusted with such type of responsibilities.
Libraries and other similar type of institutions collect,
process, organize and disseminate information and knowledge recorded in
document. Since knowledge and information are vital for all round development
of human beings, libraries and other institutions that handle and manage
information and knowledge are indeed invaluable for the welfare of the society.
The libraries
acquire, organize, offer for use, and preserve the reading material
irrespective of the form in which it is packaged (print, CD-ROM/DVD, Web form)
in such a way that, when it is needed, it can be retrieved and put into use. No
other institution carries out such long-term, systematic work.
a) It Represents the Society: The study of libraries as an
institution provides us an approach to analyze the past of a society. Its
growth is not an isolated instance of society. It originated and grew out of
the necessities of life and in response to the society’s needs i.e. library
grows with the society. The location, the population served, the demand made
upon the library, the nature of collection, financial support, status of
librarian, attitude of authorities towards the library, all over a period of
time reflects the growth pattern of the society. The story of the library gives
indication of the educational, social, economic and technological changes. Library collections in the different
countries represent their cultural identities. Language is at the heart of these
institutions. They are the collectors and stewards of our heritage.
b) It Represents the History of
Civilization: Library history is an
essential chapter in the history of the intellectual development of
civilization. It parallels the history of writing and forms a component of the history of human civilization. It is the basic metaphor with which the
cycle of civilization began the step from the dark into the light of the mind.
The
story of the growth and development of libraries forms an integral part of the
history of the peoples being served by it. A library does not exist for its own
sake. Its objectives, role, functions, services and kinds depend upon the needs
of the people served by it. It is an extension of the human memory. It is the
repository of human culture, oral and written. The heritage of man has been
preserved for posterity in different containers of information.
a) Recorded Literature:
Existence of recorded literature and the one worthy of being preserved.
b) Need of Preserving and Transmitting the Knowledge: Political and cultural maturity in a society which
recognizes the necessity of preserving, transmitting, and enlarging the body of
knowledge.
c) Literate Population: The existence of a
literate population and the willingness on the part of the community to use its
resources create a proper environment for the creation and development of
libraries. The cultural and intellectual interest to stimulate the use of the
library also plays a great role.
d) Leisure Time:
Nowadays the individual has both the leisure and the means to “cultivate the
finer arts and improve the common stock of knowledge”.
e) Secure Society: Library
develops during stable social climates where there are periods of relative
peace and tranquility that enable the individuals to pursue leisure activities,
and when the country or an institution becomes stable and the security of
tenure offers permanence and continuity.
f) Financial Support:
Economic prosperity and a surplus of wealth are needed to provide the financial
support for the growth of the library. The economic prosperity provides a
sizeable section of individuals and the corporate world with wealth and
encourages philanthropic giving.
When society’s other institutions- its school, college or
universities – need to educate and inform its members, libraries also become an
important supplement to the former.
3. Social Origin of Library: Looking back it may be observed that at different stages of
history the social forces have made their impact on the origin and development
of libraries. Before the advent of printing technology the manuscripts
libraries were strictly restricted both in form and content to the scholars in
the community. In the 17th century
the Kings, Emperors and Noble men maintained their libraries as symbol of
prestige and aristocracy in the society. It was by the middle of the last
century that the social forces came into play to revolutionize the character of
the library movement making it more and more a public institution. Among a vast
number of forces behind the library movement the following are three chief
social forces at work:
a) Religion: It was the
religious belief in our country that free gift of knowledge would bring credit
for the knowledge givers in the next birth. Manu, the codifier of law in
ancient India prescribed that gift of books was the
highest of all gifts. So, religious forces are also instrumental in the growth
and development of libraries.
b) Industrial Revolution: The industrial revolution made great impact on the concept
of libraries transforming it from royal and personal library to democratic one
for the benefit of the people. Due to industrial revolution every country faced
with the emerging problems of increased leisure, high standard of living and
greater accumulation of private and community wealth. These conditions
supported the creation and development of public institutions like the library
for the benefit of the people.
c) Information Revolution: Since the invention of printing, there has been a
continuous revolution in the generation, transfer and communication of
information. The role of information further receives new proportions with the
acceleration of research, mounting social and population pressure and so on.
4. Organization of Library as a Social Institution: A social organization has four parts of which each is
supposed to perform a definite function. Since, library is a social institution
it also has the following parts.
a) Authority: In case of
public library -municipal committee or corporation etc., in case of university library- university authority, and for special library-
Board of Directors etc serve as the authority.
b) Material: Library tries
to procure all types of reading materials expected to be relevant to its patron.
It procures books, periodicals, C.D. etc to suit the different information
needs of different clienteles.
c) Service Personnel: The professionally qualified library staff is an integral
part of the library.
d) Clientele: In case of public library - the general public, for a
university library- students, teachers, research scholars, administrative staff,
etc. and for special library- researchers, specialists etc are the clientele of
the library.
5. Social Responsibility of Libraries: In the establishment of libraries the social purpose is
paramount viewing it as a social obligation. Many of the basic functions such
as education, research, recreation, information etc performed by libraries are
also carried out by other agencies and groups. But a library is the only agency
devoted solely to the purpose of collecting, making available and securing the
widest and most effective use of the record of civilization, by the society of
which it is a part. Since the library is intertwined in purpose and function with
the society’s needs any piece or items of recorded material is a potential
library acquisition and no part of the social structure, regardless of the
stages of its development is outside the scope of the library. The main purposes of libraries are
a) Reach All People of the Society: The public library system with its network of branches and
book mobiles establishes an active reader contact and its aim is to reach the
majority of the population who are not library users.
b) Free Service: It
provides free service so that no user should be required to pay any
subscription, fee or any other charges as far as possible.
c) Respond to Social Issues: Library anticipates and responds to social issues before
these issues reach a crisis point. It provides the facilities for life long
self education, proper use of leisure, advancement of culture and so on. It is the public library which can provide
access to documents / information free of charge for all in the community
irrespective of any restriction. In this way, it contributes to the welfare and
progress of the community served by it; thereby it becomes a social force.
d) Form the Link in the Communication System: Library is created to form a link in the communication
system that is essential to any society. In fact, without communication there
can be no society. It builds socially oriented information system and tries to
procure information / document on all subjects including local, national and
international affairs to serve economic, political and social welfare.
Libraries secure the communication of culture; it secures the communication of
culture between the ages.
e) Preserve the Record of Civilization: There can be no enduring culture without some forms of
record and a means for the preservation of that record. The library preserves
the records of civilization, preserves the literary heritage for posterity. The
public library is a necessary unit in the social set up so organized and
planned as to transmit the accumulated knowledge and experiences of mankind and
provides challenging and often unorthodox material.
6. Role of Library
in Society: A library does not
exist for its own sake. It exists to serve the need of the community or the
parent organization. Its objectives are the same as those of its parent body.
It assists in the achievement of those objectives as detailed below.
a) Communication of
Knowledge: The information and knowledge has become increasingly complex
and at the same time the means of communication of information and knowledge
are also becoming equally complex. For
the growth and development of a modern society, communication of knowledge has
become increasingly important. All citizens must be able to find and use
information. It is the key raw material and the libraries are the access points
to it. A library is concerned with the communication of information and
knowledge and helps in communication through user friendly devices by providing
repackaging of information. It disseminates information according to the needs
of the individuals on anticipation or on demand.
b) Information Centre: We are living in an information age
in which information plays an important role in today’s complex, economic,
political and social environment. The researcher, the teacher, the student, the
administrator, the industrial and business managers, the entrepreneur, the
farmer, the workers in a factory, etc all need information to equip themselves
better for the fruitful pursuit of their respective vocation. It can help farmers to improve production by
using different agricultural information. It enables businessmen to improve
their business prospects. It can help students of all ages. It provides job
information for the unemployed youth, helps people looking for better prospects
and so on.
c) Education: Education
is considered the most important activity forming the backbone of the progress
of a nation. Education strengthens the very fabric of a nation. It helps to
produce men of integrity, vision, character and, above all, democratically
conscious citizens.
i) Formal Education: Formal education is the hierarchically
structured, chronologically graded education system, running from primary
school through the university. Formal
education is the one that an individual attains by enrolling himself in an
educational institution like a school or a college or a university and through
constant teacher student contact.
In
formal education, libraries support the courses of study by providing
systematic collection at all levels. They recognize the requirement of teacher
and student alike. It is through the extensive reading of a variety of books
bearing on a subject that a student will be able to acquire in-depth knowledge
of the subject. By being able to analyze and compare different view points as
expounded in different books a student will be able to develop his capacity for
analytical and critical thinking. This will enable him to formulate independent
view points and opinion. The basic function performed by academic libraries is
to support formal education. Public libraries also collect such material to
cater to the students’ need in some cases.
ii) Non-formal Education: Non-formal education is an organised
educational activity outside the established formal system - whether operating
separately or as an important feature of some broader activity - that is
intended to serve identifiable learning clienteles. In non-formal education one educates
oneself through courses offered by the distant education mode with the help of
either other methods of learning or through self study materials. The main
responsibility of supporting the non-formal education rests with the public
library system.
Education of Illiterates: The public libraries work for the education of the
illiterate people in its community through the audio-visual media especially
the video tape. It also establishes learning clubs and organizes other
programmes of oral communication for educating its illiterate clients.
Education of Working Groups: Public libraries stock books relevant to the needs of the
people engaged in different vocations in its area. By reading such books they
will become better informed and better educated in their areas of work. They
may be sufficiently interested to increase their work efficiency which will
lead to greater productivity.
Education of Physically Handicapped: In recent years public libraries have provided reading
materials and other documents to the handicapped readers to alleviate their
miseries, have assisted the disadvantaged members of society in gaining a
rightful place in society besides educating and rehabilitating them in society.
iii) Informal
Education: Informal education is a lifelong process whereby every
individual acquires attitudes, values, skills and knowledge from daily
experience and the educative influences and resources in his or her environment
- from family and neighbours, from work and play, from the market place, the
library and the mass media. Informal
education can contribute to learning a new job or transferring skills which
were not necessarily the principal skills for a previous job. These include
communication, organizational and time management skills and the ability to set
priorities. Sometimes only a few weeks or a month of "on-the-job
training" can assist an individual to be able to perform a new job. Informal
education also includes learning and specialized skill development pursued in
job-sponsored orientation courses (e.g. computer training courses, project
management).
iv) Lifelong
Learning (LLL): The whole idea of
education is to stress more and more independent learning and acting. All
learning activities are undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving
knowledge, skills and competencies within a personal, civic, social and/or
employment-related perspective. The necessary
implication is that the professional and vocational competence of the members
must be maintained with the changing needs of the society.
d) Research: Research
extends the frontiers of knowledge. Human beings appear to stand alone among
the earth’s creatures in their desire to understand their environment better
and the world around them. This requirement can be partially satisfied by the
knowledge gained as a result of daily occurrence. The formulation of
generalization takes place on the basis of first hand experience and the use of
logical reasoning. A more effective approach to expand knowledge however is the
conduct of planned and structured investigation- a process known as research.
Both material and cultural progress of the society depends on research. It is
now recognized as the life blood of the modern society.
Access
to existing knowledge and information is essential for research. Every library
attached to an institution collects the knowledge that is newly created and
primarily communicated through journals, research reports and other similar
publications to support its own research programmes.
e) Safeguard
Democracy: Libraries have been
identified as one of the key elements for open access to information, which is
crucial to democratic society for its growth and development. It safeguards
democracy, creating political awakening, bringing social awareness, and
fostering creative leisure activities.
f) Recreation and Leisure: The healthy
use of leisure is a matter of great importance in community life so that
leisure time is not devoted to negative and destructive activities. The tired
and bored people like to escape from their drab little world to identify
themselves with romantic excitement and creative recreation. The libraries
provide for one and all harmless and elevating use of leisure. Novels and other
similar forms of literature, works of arts, books of travels, popular magazines,
etc. are primary books of recreation and they have found a place in every kind
of libraries. Besides, public libraries organize programmes for healthy
recreation and entertainment like the performing arts, musical concerts, etc.
g) Cultural Centre: A society cannot function without some cohesive forces to
hold it together. That force is known to the anthropologist as culture. Ancient
Byzantines and the Arabiaess used libraries primarily to preserve their
recorded cultural heritage for the posterity. Libraries attached to medieval
monasteries also perform this function admirably. In today’s context also local
libraries should undertake to take care of books and other material related to
local history and other subjects of local interest. A national library holds
the national output. Besides, it preserves the cultural heritage of the human
race as represented by the books and other documents it holds. It also plays a
cultural role in two other senses. Firstly, it makes available books which
would bring to expression the creative talents of individuals and develop their
faculties for aesthetic appreciation. Secondly, it also organizes cultural programmes
like music concerts, dances, dramas, paintings competitions for children,
exhibition of painting etc and thus enriches the cultural life of the
community.
h) Religious and Moral Instruction: The use of
libraries for religious and moral instruction was practiesed by all early
civilizations. Monastery libraries established during the Middle Ages and the
libraries attached to ancient churches, ashramas, mutts, satras and other
religious bodies have primarily existed to support religious and moral instruction.
All public libraries also possess spiritual
and religious books, books that propound ideological themes, and other books of
permanent value which may be described as classics. These types of collections
are for inspiration. They meet the spiritual, religious and theological needs
of their followers. Every other kind of library has also a representative
collection of books of this type to inspire people to high ideas in life and
inculcate values in them.
i) Inspiration
Centre: A public library can create
in children a love for reading, which can lead to formation of reading habits
at an early age. It prepares people for disciplined and cooperative social
life.
j) Instrument of
Social Change: Information is power
and at present it is being regarded as a national resource perhaps as
fundamental as energy or matter or water and air, which affects all human
activities. It is indispensable and so it needs to be put in the service of the
whole community.
7. Changing Role of Library and
Information Science Centres: The information society demands to re-define
and re-evaluate the position and objectives of all the institutions which work
with information, knowledge, and culture. In modern
society special emphasis is laid on literacy, adult education, formal education,
life long education, dissemination of information, etc. so that every person
may make the best use of their life in the society, becomes good citizen and
discharge their social responsibilities besides supplementing their traditional
knowledge and experience about their own vocation or calling.
Above all, modern libraries are
information centres. Nowadays it does not restrict itself in procuring the
books only but goes to the extent of CD ROM, DVD, network information, sharing
information among the like minded institution in the form of consortia and so
on. The change can be viewed from four angles.
i) Change in
demand: A change from just in kind to just in time is a major shift.
ii) Change in structure of libraries: Emergence
of the concept of data centre, data bank, data consolidation and evaluation
centre, learning resource center, documentation centre, clearing house,
information analysis centre, referral centre, etc.
iii) Change in
services: Providing CAS, SDI, consultant, literature search, information
broker, gate keeper of information, etc services.
iv) New
Information products: Emergence of the digest, newsletter and such others.
8. Let Us Sum Up: In modern societies cultural values are changing. A new social awareness
has emerged as we become more diverse, more independent and more highly
educated. More than ever before the modern societies acknowledge the right of
every individual to be free, to participate in democratic processes, and to
strive for achieving his or her fullest potential. When we consider such high
expectations of the society in respect of man as individual, we realize the
full potential of the library as a social institute.
The
culmination of centuries of advances in the printing press, cast-iron type,
paper, ink, publishing, and distribution, combined with an ever growing
middle-class, increased commercial activities and consumption, new radical
ideas, massive population growth and higher literacy rates forged the public
library into the form that it is today.
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