Guangchun Zheng's Preliminary Exam
PhD candidate Guangchun Zheng will present her dissertation proposal, "From library automation to smart libraries and public access computing: A US-China comparison."
Her preliminary examination committee includes Professor Emerita Linda Smith; Lian Ruan, head librarian at the Illinois Fire Service Institute, and iSchool Research Affiliate; and Dingquan Chen, professor in the School of Information Management at Sun Yat-sen University; and Associate Professor Emerita Kate Williams (Chair).
The session will be simultaneously interpreted into Mandarin Chinese.
Abstract:
I propose a study to investigate and compare the development of the public library’s technical services in United States and China. The study will describe and analyze the historical characteristics of the development of digital technologies in libraries in each country, identify the key players involved, and conduct a comparative analysis. The central research question guiding this study is: How and why do digital technologies in public libraries differ between China and the US?
The study aims to contribute primarily to the field of public librarianship by drawing on concepts from theory of practice and activity theory. Specifically, it seeks to: (1) reconstruct the historical development of digital technologies in public libraries in the US and China; (2) identify the key factors shaping these developmental trajectories; and (3) conduct a systematic comparison of the two cases. The study examines influences associated with capitalism and socialism, operationalized through national and institutional dimensions such as economic conditions, policy frameworks, cultural contexts, and historical trajectories.
Methodologically, this study will select representative academic journals in the field of library technologies in both countries. From each decade, four representative articles will be selected for literature review and content analysis, in order to identify overarching patterns and developmental trends. The study will also select one public library in each country as a representative case for in-depth analysis: the Urbana Free Library in the US and the Suzhou Library in China. Data for the case studies will be collected through participatory observation, documentary research on sources like published literature and institutional documents, and interviews with current or former library staff and possible others.
The study seeks to contribute knowledge about how public libraries adapt to technological change and how new service systems are adjusted and formed over time. Although the research examines the historical development of library technologies, its findings are intended to provide insights that can assist libraries in responding to emerging technologies and ongoing technological transformations. By drawing on experiences from different national contexts, the study aims to foster mutual learning and reflection, offering insights for practitioners’ professional development, helping patrons better understand the functions of public libraries, and enabling policymakers to gain a clearer understanding of the mission and social role of public libraries.
摘要
本研究拟考察并对比中美两国公共图书馆技术服务的发展历程，系统描述并分析两国图书馆信息技术应用演进的历史特征，识别其中的关键角色，并在此基础上开展比较研究。本研究的核心问题为：中美两国公共图书馆中的数字技术在何种方面存在差异，以及这些差异为何产生？
本研究主要通过引入实践理论与活动理论的相关概念，为公共图书馆学领域作出贡献。具体而言，本研究旨在：(1) 重构中美两国公共图书馆领域数字技术的历史演进过程；(2) 识别塑造上述演进轨迹的关键因素；以及 (3) 对这两个案例进行系统性比较。本研究考察了两国社会体制，即资本主义和社会主义带来的影响，并通过经济状况、政策框架、文化语境及历史轨迹等国家与制度层面的维度进行了具体的操作化分析。
在方法上，本研究将选取两国图书馆技术领域具有代表性的学术期刊，针对每个十年，从中选出四篇具有代表性的论文进行文献回顾与内容分析，以识别整体性的发展模式与趋势。同时，研究将分别选取两国各一所具有代表性的公共图书馆开展深入案例研究，具体的图书馆是美国的厄巴纳自由图书馆（Urbana Free Library）与中国的苏州图书馆。案例研究的数据将主要来源于现场观察，对公开文献、机构档案的文献调研，以及对在职或曾任职馆员及其他相关人员的访谈。
本研究旨在深化对公共图书馆如何适应技术变迁、以及新型服务体系如何在时间进程中不断调整与形成的理解。尽管本研究以图书馆技术的历史发展为主要考察对象，但研究发现亦期望为图书馆应对新兴技术与持续性的技术变革提供参考。通过比较不同国家情境中的实践经验，本研究希望促进跨国经验的相互借鉴与反思，为图书馆从业人员的专业发展提供启示，帮助公众更好地理解公共图书馆的功能与价值，并为政策制定者提供更为清晰的公共图书馆使命与社会角色认知依据。
Questions? Contact Guangchun Zheng