Page 56 - Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.47, 2021

XIAO Ximing & SHEN Ling / The historical development and contemporary construction 055
of the framework of fundamental theory of library science with Chinese characteristics

In 1975, IFLA proposed that library had four functions: preservation of human cultural heritage,
social education, scientific intelligence and intellectual resources development. In 2008, WU Weici
put forward five functions of the library in Introduction to Library Science: managing information
flow, transmitting documents and information, developing intellectual resources and conducting
social education, collecting and preserving human cultural heritage, satisfying the public needs
for cultural appreciation and entertainment [11]82-90 . The scope and sequence of functions both
have changed. In recent years, the library community has been discussing the function of public
libraries as public cultural spaces and applying this idea into practice. In 2018, Oodi, the Helsinki
Central Library, Finland was completed and opened to the public. This is “a place for gathering,
reading and diverse urban experiences, providing readers with knowledge, new skills and stories,
a comfortable space to acquire knowledge, experience stories, and for work and leisure, a new-
[38]
era library that is open to all with vibrant and constantly-changing functions” . Its appearance
has inspired people to rethink and discuss the social functions of public libraries in the new era:
what are the “changed” and “unchanged” of the social functions of libraries? What social functions
should libraries with Chinese characteristics in the new era possess?
(4) The concept of library science
In 1807, Schrettinger proposed the concept of “library science”. In the past two hundred years,
the definition of library science has changed from analyzing external representation to in-depth
essential mechanisms, from focusing on a social institution to looking at the whole society, and
at the same time, also following the impact brought by social changes and development on the
discipline [39] . From the invention of computers, the transformation of information technology,
the popularization of the Internet, to the development and application of new technologies such
as big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, scientific and
technological progress has not only brought revolutionary changes to the library but profound
impact on library science research. In view of the trend from disciplinary differentiation to
disciplinary synthesis, the requirement for multi-disciplinary collaborative research on the
increasingly complex social issues, as well as the demand for interdisciplinary talents, it is
necessary for the library science community to reflect on the following topics: if library science
research does not break through the limitations of library institutions, and if it cannot reach for
a broader field of practice related to information and knowledge, how much living space and
development prospects will there be? The issues that should be studied in the fundamental theory
of library science are about scientifically defining contemporary library science, as well as whether
or not the concept of library science should be “de-institutionalized”.
(5) The architecture of library science
The architecture of library science has always been an important part of the fundamental
theoretical research of library science. During the period of the Republic of China, YANG
Zhaoxuan, DU Dingyou, LI Jingxin, YU Shuangmi and others had studied this issue. From 1949
to 1978, although the research was almost interrupted, in the over 40 years since the reform and