“I LIGHT MY CANDLE FROM YOURS…”: ANTHROPOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF MODERN LIBRARY SERVICES FOR SCIENTISTS

Abstract

Introduction. Integration of knowledge and communications, the movement for open access to knowledge lead to the emergence of factors that update the philosophy of functioning and development of university libraries. There is a need to comprehend the ongoing innovations in the activities of university libraries in the world. Purpose. The study assumes understanding of the substantial changes in the library services for scientists related to Open Access and the new role of university libraries – a partner in the production, preservation and spread of knowledge. Methodology. On the basis of empirical and theoretical methods, the features of modern university libraries are considered. They include shift of the priority vector towards the services for an author-scientist and support of the philosophy of open access to knowledge. The study identifies and analyzes the anthropological aspects of communicative and informational awareness of reality by university researchers and librarians. The realities of modern services for scientists of Ukraine are examined based on the experience of the Scientific and Technical Library of Dnipropetrovsk National University of Railway Transport named after Academician V. Lazaryan. The observations and surveys of scientists, librarians, publishers of scientific periodicals allow analyzing the anthropological aspects concerning new digital library services. The aspects affect: 1) relationship between communicants; 2) explanations of why it is the authors-researchers who have been at the center of the attention of libraries, why they are provided with exactly these services and exactly in this way; 3) levels of impact of new services on both scientists and librarians. Originality. It is established that in the process of communicative and informational awareness of reality, there are changes in the dimension of scientists and university librarians, namely, the ways of their behaviour and the communicative features associated with the development of Open Access and the new role of university libraries as partners in the production, preservation and spread of knowledge. Conclusions. The leading role of university libraries in the implementation of digital initiatives of scientific communication, based on free access to knowledge, leads to changes: 1) in the dimension of scientists and librarians, namely, the ways of their behavior and communicative features; 2) in the emotional, psychological, physical states of librarians as intermediaries between two conflicting requirements – ensuring stability in the activities of the library and the need for changes in the services it provides.