The essence of library profession in modern Russia

Abstract

It is widely believed in the research literature that the library profession has been obsolete as the library operations can be efficiently and effectively accomplished by robots and computer programs. The author argues it is a technocratic mistake to think so and consistently denied this assumption. He warns of unlawful identification of library tasks and mission. The task is to accomplish technological functions that can be transferred to intellectual robots. The deepest humanistic essence that justifies libraries’ existence is their moral impact on modern social conscience.

The author proves that it is a mistake to ignore the role of library intellectuals in building digital economy is mistakenly ignored. He suggests to look at library intellectuality as not only a librarians’ characteristic but also an integral personal quality. The concept is rather social and ethical one than a professiological, and matches other configurations of intellectuality and intelligibility. Today, the humankind is at the cross-roads of noosphere (kingdom of reason) and necrosphere (kingdom of the dead). The library community has to play its role in choosing the right historical way. The author concludes: the library profession mission is to humanize digital economy.