Aspects of a representation of the library and information science

The poster explores various aspects concerning the representation practices of library and information science (LIS) and its actors. Firstly it shows some ambivalent features of representation of LIS in the researching the “unreal” public images and the “ideal” images of LIS. Furthermore an empirical research of LIS media representations in specific Slovenian environment was carried out. Two research questions were defined: 1) How are LIS profession and its activities constituted in a particular media form; and 2) How are they embedded in a network of more or less related social practices? The active role in media representation of LIS by influencing for “glamorous” image, and the mobilization of the profession in terms of hegemonic struggles embracing the role of “organic intellectuals” were set as presumptions. More than 300 articles from the most widespread daily newspaper in Slovenia were collected for the year 1987 and 2004. The quantitative analyse comprehends the features of media form with an emphasis on the distribution of articles according to type and appearance in the newspaper’s schema, time of publishing and characteristics of authorship. The results emphasised the community nature of LIS. The qualitative analysis concentrates on the signifying practice of accumulation of meanings in the differentiation between “old” and “modern”, where library building takes central place. It also indicates the practices of creating the “zealous” librarians and “suspicious” user. The results also show that LIS profession is trying to find its place in notions of progress and civilized in the relation to the concept of nationality, where LIS and its institution are actively produced and consumed.