Building "civilisation competence": a new role for libraries?

Purpose - The purpose of this article is to examine the changing role and image of libraries and librarians, along with the overall information culture prevalent in four Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that were undergoing socio-political changes. The core question investigated in this article is whether libraries as social and cultural institutions have a role to play in enabling individuals to acquire the types of skills and competencies that extend far beyond the realm of the library walls to encompass practices that translate into various spheres of individuals' lives, including their participation in political, economic and civic life. Design/methodology/approach - Interviews were conducted in 1999 with 49 library policymakers in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic (and selected follow-up interviews were conducted in 2002), to shed light on the role of libraries in social and political reconfigurations of their nations. Findings - The library is a ubiquitous component of the information environment of any society and plays a critical role in connecting information resources and services with users. Yet, despite their ubiquity and centrality in the production, management and dissemination of information in society, libraries have been largely neglected in many CEE countries. Libraries can play a critical role in political reconfiguration of their nation by building the types of skills and competencies that will empower individuals and thereby contribute to shaping an information culture that meets the needs of the time. Originality/value - The paper contributes to one's understanding of the political dimensions of the provision of information resources.