Actualization of the Problem of Evolution of the Social and Communicative Function of Libraries

Abstract

The paper presents analysis of the priority directions of the evolution of library activity as a factor in the modern socio-communicative process. An arsenal of tools and methods that provides libraries with a modern level of information technologies has been defined. It is noted that libraries should not be considered only in the usual coordinates of a social institution, but also it makes sense to expand and concretize their functional and substantive component to the phenomenon of social-communicative institution. It is emphasized that the library as a socio-communicative institution has significant potential. Priority directions of library activity evolution, which, to a certain extent, have already found practical implementation are highlighted. In particular, one of these directions is creation of socio-cultural centers of the united territorial communities on the basis of local libraries, in this way contributing to the effective communication of residents and the formation of united territorial community identity. At the national and even international level an important area of library work is to expand representation of libraries in social media, as well as to create digital library on the basis of existing funds and to provide users with high-quality and fast online service. It was emphasized that the use of crowdsourcing could help to increase significantly the importance of the library as a social-communicative institution. It is noted that the spread of crowdsourcing projects will attract people to socially useful work and will contribute to the formation of civil society foundations. It is proved that the effective and integrated using of the latest methods of organizing work will contribute to the inclusion of libraries in the state system of strategic communications.

Keywords

• library activities, social communication, crowdsourcing, identity, social media.