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Katalogisatörer - vinnare eller förlorare? En analys av huvudargumenten rörande katalogisatörernas förändrade yrkesroll

Jönsson, Sara and Strand, Lisbeth (2003)
Division of ALM and Digital Cultures
Abstract
We were interested in catalogers as human beings and in their reaction to a changed working situation. In the light of the changes which have been made at the libraries during the nineties, we investigated why the very group catalogers reacted with an intense and engaged open debate at the same time as librarians with special competence didn t seem to react in this way. The open debate about the catalogers changed working conditions was held in Sweden, above all at BIBLIST, which is a forum for library-connected questions. This forum uses an email list made particularly for librarians. The situation of the librarians was, to a small extent, also discussed in publications made for the library line of business. A corresponding debate was... (More)
We were interested in catalogers as human beings and in their reaction to a changed working situation. In the light of the changes which have been made at the libraries during the nineties, we investigated why the very group catalogers reacted with an intense and engaged open debate at the same time as librarians with special competence didn t seem to react in this way. The open debate about the catalogers changed working conditions was held in Sweden, above all at BIBLIST, which is a forum for library-connected questions. This forum uses an email list made particularly for librarians. The situation of the librarians was, to a small extent, also discussed in publications made for the library line of business. A corresponding debate was held in the American professional press at about the same time. In order to make a study of those debates, we collected textual material, from which we could understand the opinions of the catalogers and of other people concerned. We looked for an answer to our main question at issue: Were there any difference between the catalogers group and other groups of specialized librarians which explained the catalogers feeling of special exposed position? In order to get an answer to our question, we made an analysis of the catalogers main arguments which occurred in the open debate. As analysis instrument for the BIBLIST debates and the collected articles, we chose to use a rhetoric analysis. Our aim was to get a comprehensive view in order to value the messages. After having studied above-mentioned material, we made the following conclusions: The changes have led to increased demands on the catalogers at the same time as their traditional special competence has been undermined. This has affected their whole working situation. Most likely, these changes have not been carried through by consulting the catalogers, who, of different reasons, seem to have avoided to participate actively in this changing process. Because the catalogers' special working tasks demand a long experience and practice, the catalogers build their own group within the group of librarians. The feeling that catalogers belong to a distinct group, promote their possibilities to express fear and anxiety. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Jönsson, Sara and Strand, Lisbeth
supervisor
organization
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
katalogisering, yrkesroller, biblioteksteknik, bibliotekspersonal, Documentation, information, library science, archivistics, Arkiv- och bibliotekskunskap, dokumentation
language
Swedish
id
1333903
date added to LUP
2003-01-19 00:00:00
date last changed
2014-04-11 14:17:06
@misc{1333903,
  abstract     = {{We were interested in catalogers as human beings and in their reaction to a changed working situation. In the light of the changes which have been made at the libraries during the nineties, we investigated why the very group catalogers reacted with an intense and engaged open debate at the same time as librarians with special competence didn t seem to react in this way. The open debate about the catalogers changed working conditions was held in Sweden, above all at BIBLIST, which is a forum for library-connected questions. This forum uses an email list made particularly for librarians. The situation of the librarians was, to a small extent, also discussed in publications made for the library line of business. A corresponding debate was held in the American professional press at about the same time. In order to make a study of those debates, we collected textual material, from which we could understand the opinions of the catalogers and of other people concerned. We looked for an answer to our main question at issue: Were there any difference between the catalogers group and other groups of specialized librarians which explained the catalogers feeling of special exposed position? In order to get an answer to our question, we made an analysis of the catalogers main arguments which occurred in the open debate. As analysis instrument for the BIBLIST debates and the collected articles, we chose to use a rhetoric analysis. Our aim was to get a comprehensive view in order to value the messages. After having studied above-mentioned material, we made the following conclusions: The changes have led to increased demands on the catalogers at the same time as their traditional special competence has been undermined. This has affected their whole working situation. Most likely, these changes have not been carried through by consulting the catalogers, who, of different reasons, seem to have avoided to participate actively in this changing process. Because the catalogers' special working tasks demand a long experience and practice, the catalogers build their own group within the group of librarians. The feeling that catalogers belong to a distinct group, promote their possibilities to express fear and anxiety.}},
  author       = {{Jönsson, Sara and Strand, Lisbeth}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Katalogisatörer - vinnare eller förlorare? En analys av huvudargumenten rörande katalogisatörernas förändrade yrkesroll}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}