A History of Important Events in the Field of Library and Information Sciences

By CRlMSON

  • First Formal Library Operations Document Published

    First Formal Library Operations Document Published
    "Advis pour dresser une bibliothèque", or "Advice on Establishing a Library" is published by Gabriel Naudé (see right). It is the first paper outlining a formal methodology for opening and running a library.
    This paper sets a precedent for future precepts which might be proposed in relation to running a library (Hjørland, 2018).

  • The Foundation of the Library of Congress

    The Foundation of the Library of Congress
    The Library of Congress was founded in 1800 in order to create a dedicated library for Congress to use in research.
    Though the Library of Congress was initially founded with the intention of aiding members of Congress in research, it is also open to the public, and serves to underscore the importance of Library and Information Sciences in aiding any and all patrons who require knowledge (Johnston, 1904).

  • The Term "Library Science" is Coined for the First Time

    The Term "Library Science" is Coined for the First Time
    German librarian Martin Schrettinger (see left) uses the term "Bibliothek-Wissenschaft", or "Library Science" for the first time as a part of the title of a textbook on the subject of library management.
    This term became one of the main titles used to refer to the discipline of handling, storing, and distributing of information (Hjørland, 2018).

  • Birth of Melvil Dewey

    Birth of Melvil Dewey
    Melvil Dewey was an American librarian who lived from 1851 to 1931. He was extremely influential in helping to develop and organize the studies and practices of librarianship. Some of his achievements include:
    -The formal establishment of the Dewey Decimal system by which books are organized
    -Helping to found the American Library Association
    -Establishing classes and schools for the teaching of Library Science and its necessary skills (Wedgeworth, 1993).

  • Birth of Lee Pierce Butler

    Birth of Lee Pierce Butler
    Lee Pierce Butler was another influential figure in the field of American Library Science. He helped to popularize the term "Library Science", and wrote multiple papers concerning the methods of those practicing Library Science. His papers helped to shape what the advanced study in Library science should look like. He was also an important faculty member in the University of Chicago Graduate Library School (Richardson, (2010).

  • The First "Librarian's College" Begins Classes

    The First "Librarian's College" Begins Classes
    The first classes in a dedicated college for Library Science begin at Columbia College in New York teaching Library Economy.
    This college, initially suggested by Melvil Dewey, served as a step towards more formal education in Library Sciences (Richardson, 2010).

  • University of Chicago Graduate Library School Funded

    University of Chicago Graduate Library School Funded
    The University of Chicago Graduate Library School, which offers the opportunity for a higher level of study in Library Science is funded.
    The graduate school changed the landscape of library and information science studies in America as it offered the discipline a greater level of professionalism and legitimacy (Richardson, 2010).

  • The Birth of Cognitive Science

    The Birth of Cognitive Science
    In 1956, one of three major perspectives of Library Science, the cognitive perspective, was developed. This perspective looks at Library Science in light of how others give and receive information. The cognitive perspective holds that by studying the exchange of information, a method of exchanging information that is the most efficient for all people could be discovered.
    This perspective is very influential in that it helps to dictate how service might be provided to patrons (Hjørland, 2018).

  • The Development of the Socio-Cultural View

    The Development of the Socio-Cultural View
    In the 1990s, socio-cultural views of Library Sciences began to develop. These views focus on the fact that environments and cultures might affect the way people absorb information and seeks to accommodate that.
    The development of these views helped to balance out the more rigid structures that the cognitive and Philosophy of Information views adhere to (Hjørland, 2018).

  • The Birth of the Philosophy of Information View

    The Birth of the Philosophy of Information View
    The Philosophy of Information (PI) view of Library Science was developed by Luciano Floridi. This view was concerned more with information itself and how it is handled in the library system.
    PI, though somewhat debated in the Library Science community, is another potential modern method of shaping how libraries operate (Hjørland, 2018).