Libraries as a Knowledge and Information Infrastructure and Research on Them

October 16, 2023

To date, my research has focused on public libraries from various perspectives, including their systems, management, and services. Recently, I have also been researching pre-war library systems and the Designated Manager System, a topic that has garnered much attention in recent years. The Designated Manager System is a framework that enables private companies and other entities to operate libraries, though it is not without its challenges. Furthermore, for libraries to function effectively, the "people" who work there are just as important as the facilities and collections. Consequently, my research interests also extend to human resource development and professional certification systems. In addition to these research activities, I have been involved in practical applications as a member of library councils and other committees established by local governments.

Libraries are vital institutions in society that collect, organize, store, preserve, and provide knowledge, information, and data. Such institutions are indispensable for the functioning of a democratic society. This becomes self-evident when one considers issues like misinformation and disinformation. And even as society becomes increasingly digital and networked, the importance of institutions like libraries and archives in properly organizing, storing, preserving, and passing on digital information remains unchanged. My research has focused on libraries as one of the institutions that fulfill this role, studying their systems and management.

Although libraries have existed since ancient times, it was not until the 19th century that libraries themselves became an academic subject known as "library science." Bavarian librarian Martin Schrettinger and Melvil Dewey of Columbia University, among others, began to conduct research from the perspective of management efficiency. Subsequently, as the documentation movement, which focused on specialized and scientific information, progressed, a discipline called "information science" emerged, incorporating the study of human information behavior. "Library science" and "information science" then merged, developing into the academic field of "library and information science," primarily in Europe and the United States.

The Program in Library and Information Science was established in 1951 as the Japan Library School. It was the first department in Japan where one could study library science. Since then, it has long been a leader in both the academic study and research of library and information science. Opportunities to formally study library and information science in Japan are limited, and this program is one of the few available options. The field of library and information science is diverse, encompassing a wide range of areas beyond libraries, including information retrieval, information behavior, metadata, scholarly communication, digital archives, and bibliography. And while the Program in Library and Information Science is part of the Faculty of Letters, it is a major that allows for approaches from both the humanities and the sciences. It is an academic field brimming with future potential.

*Affiliation and job title are as of the time of the interview.