The article describes the current situation of the Austrian library system and public libraries, especially with regard to the automation and bibliographic databases. In addition to that, it describes the history of the Slovenska študijska knjižnica (Slovene Study Library) in Klagenfurt, its importance for the Slovene national minority in Carinthia and its place in the Austrian and the Slovenian library system.
The definition of bibliometrics as quantitative analysis of publications is followed by a brief outline of the history of the journal Organizacija znanja (Organisation of Knowledge; continuation of Cobiss obvestila). In addition to that, the following quantitative characteristics of this publication are analysed: authors, topics, citations. The conclusion focuses on the future development of Organizacija znanja.
This article represents a stimulus for debate and the resolving of key issues in several co-related fields: the divide between information philosophy and those philosophies and theories that are unjustifiably overlooked with regards to their relevance to librarianship and information science; knowledge and wisdom as categories of information science; professional responsibility for the philosophy of librarianship and information science; the connection between computer science and other sciences as a new scientific paradigm.
The quality of bibliographic records in the COBIB.SI shared bibliographic database and all local bibliographic databases is key to the high performance COBISS.SI system.
Eugene Garfield has provided a basis for the development and growth of scientometrics and promotion of sociology of science with his Current Contents and in particular with the Science Citation Index.
Intellectual capital refers to the knowledge accumulated in an organisation in the course of its operation, having a significant impact on the corporate value. As knowledge constitutes both assets and a competitive advantage of a company, it has to be managed.
The new revolution in science is based on a shift from computational science supporting research towards an integration of concepts, tools and computer science theorems into the very structure of all other sciences. The milestones in the development of scientific computing are indicated.
The paper highlights the importance of the role libraries and librarians play in contemporary information society. Since the status of librarianship is underrated, the library legislation can provide ways of improving the image of libraries. Moreover, it is crucial for the legislation to ensure public funding of libraries. Professional issues should be dealt with by library associations, which is the case in the countries with highly developed library services. In the countries, however, where library culture is at a low level, the legislation also deals with this segment.
Accreditation, described as a “Licence to Kill”, is arousing fear across Europe, since this American practice is unusual in the European context. The problem is the degree of autonomy of European universities, which are under the control of their governments, appropriating the authority for granting accreditations.
Every 20 years, the development of IT has multiplied by 1000, and yet we are still at the beginning. The development entails great risks and we need to be constantly aware that high technology requires high ethics.
