KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

An international forum of librarians was held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from September 26 to 28. Gagik Sukiasyan, Head of the Chair of Library Science and Bibliography at Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU), Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences and Professor, delivered a report at the form on “Higher Education in Library and Information Science in Armenia.” 

 

 Comparative analysis shows that in CIS countries, including Armenia, the content structure of higher education in library and information science (with the exception of certain national and state peculiarities) does not only differ, but is also similar with the numerous new accumulated problems.  

 

The forum aimed to promote library and information (bibliographic) systems in the CIS countries, improve their activities and services, enhance cooperation between the CIS member states, and strengthen educational and scientific ties between them. 

 

Among the priorities of the forum was to create a single (global) system of library information resources between the CIS countries, to solve [through new methodological approaches] the problem of a person’s humanitarization, who depends on information technologies, as it is senseless to speak about common civilization and intellectual development of a person without acquiring humanitarian knowledge.

 

It also aimed to focus on higher education in library and information science in the CIS countries, taking into consideration the development trends of modern science, education and practice, promote preservation of historic and national memory in order to provide social communication, all-round development of an individual and free circulation of information (including free library services).

 

One of the global problems of the new era is the provision of book (document) resources and social security, protection of cultural heritage and copyright, struggle against cybercrimes both in Armenia and abroad, including the Armenian Diaspora. The role of library and information centers is of great significance in this context. 

 

In order to create a flexible information environment between Armenia, CIS countries and Armenian Diaspora it is necessary to develop communication and book publishing, continually replenish library funds and widely use information resources, regardless of their place and methodical forms.  

 

Without bypassing the contrast around traditional and electronic ("digital") libraries, it was noted at the forum that the development of electronic libraries does not imply depriving a person of his vision and cutting him off traditional libraries and books.

 

 However, it should be noted that during the discussion a number of questions, including the formation of "e-government" in the information society, the fight against global technological crimes and protection of copyright, did not receive proper answers. 

 

Given the importance of the issues, it should be noted that in the context of developments of global information systems in the XXI century, the main task of humanity is to preserve civilization and transfer the cultural heritage to future generations.  Otherwise, the technological race and information warfare can lead to the destruction of human and spiritual values.

 

In this regard, the creation and dissemination of a U.S. film dedicated to Prophet Muhammad was cited as an example of ethnic and religious conflicts in order to determine the objective and false borders of information. Of course, you can come across numerous cases of technological crimes in Turkish and Azerbaijani sources telling about Armenians…

 

We believe that in order to achieve best results it is similarly important to establish cooperation between libraries, archives, museums and higher education institutions, re-train employees of library-bibliographic sphere and organize re-qualification courses. To this end, the author of the report has already compiled and published educational programs (in 2010 and 2011).

 

It should be noted that the general characteristics of the qualification of specialists is based on the knowledge acquired through appropriation of educational programs, standards of higher educational standards and professional literature, taking into account the advanced experience of foreign countries which was also stressed during the forum.

 

Representatives of library-information (bibliographic) sphere should possess theoretical, historical and methodological basic knowledge to be able to organize service, educational, organizational and research activities, tackle key problems met during the working process and properly understand the socio-historical and informational role of “Documents” (book), as well as the links and ties between books, readers and libraries. 

 

We are deeply convinced that the prospective developments of scientific-educational and library-information activities between the CIS countries (to the end, a memorandum of cooperation was signed by the Library Associations in Astana on Sept. 26, 2012), largely depend on the reciprocal tie between theory and practice and the principle of comprehensive approach that will enable specialists and readers to have a clear orientation in multilingual sources of documentation and information.