Methodology of a spatial approach in library science: prevalence and specificity of applying

Abstract

Space is one of the basic categories of philosophy having extensive operational and analytical capabilities. Nowadays the specificity of different types of spaces is studied, and the methodology of a spatial approach has become recognized as an effective method of knowledge in various sciences: philosophy, philology, pedagogics and psychology, political science, sociology, art history and cultural studies, economics and law, technical and natural sciences (physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry). As a special tool, the spatial approach is included in the scientific-educational store of documentary communication cycle’s sciences. To proof this statement authors examined an array of dissertations on library science and bibliography. A vector of cognitive activity, formed in librarian works of last 20-30 years, was directed on researching a spatial-information subject, as well as related to an «information space» phenomenon. However, many scientists, focusing on spatial terminology, have not deepened theoretical aspects and set tasks to detect an entity and structure of the information space without trying to offer its definition. Nevertheless, after representation theoretical and methodological foundations for studying information space scientists by T. F. Berestova in her doctoral dissertation researches began operating spatial terminology more confidently. Works’ analysis in library science allowed concluding that studying information or any other space researchers always focus their attention on investigating the interaction of the subject, which simultaneously acts as a part and as a creator of the space with other subjects and objects within it. This interaction provides course of integrative processes between subjects. The library science has already studied some form of interaction, identified a number of areas of integration processes, which are involved and initiated by the library. Thus, the analysis of works revealing the spatial issues enabled to summarize the methodology and to identify some common theoretical and methodological positions, which should be relied while developing a new epistemological tool in library science: methodology of the spatial approach. This article offers recommendations to use the spatial approach in library science and bibliographic researches.