Page 47 - Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.47, 2021

046 Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.13, 2021

of library science that is oriented towards modern science and of local features. For instance,
Principles of Library Science by MI Hao innovatively constructs the fundamental theoretical
system of library science from the perspective of “knowledge exchange theory”. Introduction
to Library Science by HUANG Zongzhong reviews the library development laws from a
philosophical perspective and proposes the issue of building fundamental theory of library science
with Chinese characteristics, which adopts the “contradiction theory” as the core in constructing a
new fundamental theory of library science system.
In 1990s, affected by the transformation of socio-economic structure, the research on the
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fundamental theory of library science underwent a “puzzled” period which turned to recovery
around the opening of the 62nd IFLA General Conference and Council in 1996. The theme of
this Conference, “The Challenge of Change: Libraries and Economic Development”, inspired the
Chinese library community: the research of the fundamental theory of library science should bid
farewell to the paradigm of empirical library science, get rid of the limitations of purely rational
speculative research that oriented towards improving disciplinary system, and turn its focus on the
practical issues in librarianship, with a view to offering “Chinese solution” to such issues. A typical
example of such inspirations is WU Jianzhong’s dialogue with 13 well-known library science
scholars from China and abroad on the future of library. The dialogue demonstrates that, Chinese
library scientists are following in macro perspective the frontiers of international library science
community, while reflecting on the future direction of Chinese librarianship and library science.
The Chinese library community’s objective of building the basic theory of library science with
Chinese characteristics turns even clearer in the minds of librarians.
(2) Gradual establishment of the fundamental theory system of library science with Chinese
characteristics (2000-)
The changes in research concepts originated in late 1990s was unveiled in early 21st century
by a paper written by FAN Bingsi titled Tasks for Fundamental Theory of Library Science in the
Period of Transition (2000). FAN believes that “the development of fundamental theory of library
science extremely relies on the development of librarianship”, and “the librarianship is undergoing
transformation that brings about comprehensive influence on library science”. Therefore, he
proposes that the task of the fundamental theory of library science in the transformation period
shall focus on “discovering and advocating new concepts for promoting the transformation of
librarianship”, “studying new issues emerged and summarizing new theories and new methods
in the transformation”, as well as “building a new framework to break new grounds for new
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theories” . Although FAN did not use the definition of “Chinese characteristics”, the research
tasks he mentioned are all key areas of fundamental theory system of library science with Chinese
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characteristics. Later, LI Guoxin’s paper Theoretical Reflections on “Library Freedom” (2002)
sparked discussions on “library rights”, which is related to an important theoretical question:
“the free use of libraries by the public is a ‘right’ ”. In the meantime, CHENG Huanwen, FAN
Bingsi, YU Liangzhi, JIANG Yongfu’s research topics also aroused extensive attention and heated