Open AccessApplying Bourdieu's field theory to analyze the changing status of the research librarian
Author(s) -
Charlotte Wien,
Bertil F. Dorch
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
liber quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1435-5205
pISSN - 2213-056X
DOI - 10.18352/lq.10236
Subject(s) - prestige , field (mathematics) , sociology , position (finance) , power (physics) , public relations , library science , social science , political science , computer science , business , philosophy , linguistics , physics , mathematics , finance , quantum mechanics , pure mathematics
Research librarians no longer need to perform as many of the traditional chores of the research library. This is due to many factors like digitalization, changing research policies and changes in researchers’ behaviour. With these changes also comes a demand for new skills. We seek an answer to how this demand can be met. We argue that changes that have taken place in the research library have also led to a loss of prestige for the research librarians. We use Bourdieu’s field theory to analyse the power struggles in the academic field and in the field of the research library and to identify means of reclaiming the previous prestigious position in both fields. We end up creating a 60 ECTS framework for a flexible part-time master’s program for research librarians. The first cohort of students has already been enrolled and they evaluate the program in very positive terms.