a critical theory of library technology: libraries & electronic publishing

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A Critical Theory of A Critical Theory of Library Technology: Library Technology: Libraries & Electronic Libraries & Electronic Publishing Publishing Ajit K. Pyati, Ph.D. Ajit K. Pyati, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Faculty of Information and Media Faculty of Information and Media Studies Studies University of Western Ontario University of Western Ontario July 13, 2007 July 13, 2007 PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference 2007 PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference 2007 Vancouver, BC Vancouver, BC

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This is Ajit Pyati's presentation at the PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference 2007, Vancouver, Canada. Posted here under permission of the author. This presentation is blogged at http://scholarlypublishing.blogspot.com

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Page 1: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

A Critical Theory of Library A Critical Theory of Library Technology: Libraries & Technology: Libraries & Electronic Publishing Electronic Publishing

Ajit K. Pyati, Ph.D.Ajit K. Pyati, Ph.D.

Assistant ProfessorAssistant Professor

Faculty of Information and Media StudiesFaculty of Information and Media Studies

University of Western OntarioUniversity of Western Ontario

July 13, 2007July 13, 2007

PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference 2007PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference 2007

Vancouver, BCVancouver, BC

Page 2: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Today’s PresentationToday’s Presentation

Background: Electronic Publishing in the Background: Electronic Publishing in the “Information Society”“Information Society”

What is “critical theory?”What is “critical theory?” A Critical Theory of Library Technology A Critical Theory of Library Technology A Case Study: Libraries & Electronic A Case Study: Libraries & Electronic

Publishing Publishing Q & AQ & A

Page 3: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Research BackgroundResearch Background

Information society linked to connectivity, Information society linked to connectivity, access to ICTs; World Summit on the access to ICTs; World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)Information Society (WSIS)

Technological determinism; information Technological determinism; information commodificationcommodification

Packaging of certain political/economic Packaging of certain political/economic structures with ICTsstructures with ICTs

Page 4: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Scholarly Publication “Crisis” Scholarly Publication “Crisis”

Needs to be viewed in the context of the Needs to be viewed in the context of the dominant information society visiondominant information society vision

Electronic licensing of journals Electronic licensing of journals prohibitively expensive for many librariesprohibitively expensive for many libraries

Concentration of academic publishers - Concentration of academic publishers - monopoly over scholarly knowledge monopoly over scholarly knowledge productionproduction

Increasing commodification of Increasing commodification of knowledge/informationknowledge/information

Page 5: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Libraries’ Responses to the “Crisis”Libraries’ Responses to the “Crisis”

Cutting subscriptionsCutting subscriptions

Advocacy - ALA, CLA, ACRL, IFLAAdvocacy - ALA, CLA, ACRL, IFLA

Open access movementsOpen access movements

Page 6: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Open Access Initiatives (OA)Open Access Initiatives (OA)

Response to scholarly publication crisis - Response to scholarly publication crisis - Harnad, Suber, Willinsky, etc.Harnad, Suber, Willinsky, etc.

Varying forms of open access - Varying forms of open access - repositories, OA journals, self-archiving, repositories, OA journals, self-archiving, delayed OA, etc. delayed OA, etc.

Page 7: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Libraries in the Face of a Crisis: Need for Libraries in the Face of a Crisis: Need for Critical Theories for Action/ReflectionCritical Theories for Action/Reflection

What are different social theories we can What are different social theories we can draw upon to derive theoretical draw upon to derive theoretical frameworks to understand library-based frameworks to understand library-based OA advocacy?OA advocacy?

Need for critical theory in the field Need for critical theory in the field

Page 8: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Library Ethics and Values Library Ethics and Values

Libraries and values of democratic access to Libraries and values of democratic access to informationinformation

How can we extend these values to the realm of How can we extend these values to the realm of technology in libraries? technology in libraries?

What does democratization mean in the context What does democratization mean in the context of library technology?of library technology?

Page 9: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

What is “critical theory?”What is “critical theory?”

Social theory with origins in Germany - Institute Social theory with origins in Germany - Institute for Social Research (founded 1923) - “Frankfurt for Social Research (founded 1923) - “Frankfurt School” of critical theorySchool” of critical theory

Multidisciplinary perspective - combining macro Multidisciplinary perspective - combining macro and micro perspectives, making connectionsand micro perspectives, making connections

Transformative Transformative social theory for action/reflectionsocial theory for action/reflection Deals with emancipatory concerns within the Deals with emancipatory concerns within the

context of oppressive socio-economic, political, context of oppressive socio-economic, political, and ideological conditions and ideological conditions

Page 10: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Critical Theory of TechnologyCritical Theory of Technology

Andrew Feenberg’s critical theory of Andrew Feenberg’s critical theory of technology technology Drawing from Frankfurt School tradition - Drawing from Frankfurt School tradition -

Marcuse & HeideggerMarcuse & Heidegger Critique of technological rationality, Critique of technological rationality,

technological determinismtechnological determinism ““Ambivalence” of technologyAmbivalence” of technology Social character of technology Social character of technology ““Dialectic” of technology Dialectic” of technology

Page 11: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Critical Theory of Technology (2)Critical Theory of Technology (2)

Democratization of technologyDemocratization of technology ““Opening technical development to the Opening technical development to the

influence of a wider range of values is a influence of a wider range of values is a technical project requiring broad democratic technical project requiring broad democratic participation” (Feenberg, 2002, p.35)participation” (Feenberg, 2002, p.35)

Feenberg, A. (2002). Feenberg, A. (2002). Transforming Technology: Transforming Technology: A Critical Theory Revisited. A Critical Theory Revisited. Oxford University Oxford University Press: New YorkPress: New York. .

Page 12: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Questions for ConsiderationQuestions for Consideration

What are the dimensions of aWhat are the dimensions of a critical theory of critical theory of technology that can enhance library public technology that can enhance library public service goals?service goals?

Is the open access movement a route for Is the open access movement a route for libraries to reclaim and shape ICTs for libraries to reclaim and shape ICTs for enhancing public service missions and to enhancing public service missions and to democratize library technology development? democratize library technology development?

Page 13: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Critical Theory and Library Critical Theory and Library Technology?Technology?

How can critical theory of technology be How can critical theory of technology be applied to the library context?applied to the library context?

Building upon critical theory of technology Building upon critical theory of technology and library technology studies, a “critical and library technology studies, a “critical theory of library technology” framework is theory of library technology” framework is formulated formulated

Page 14: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

A Critical Theory of Library A Critical Theory of Library Technology Technology

Conceptual tool for understanding and Conceptual tool for understanding and reflection about what democratization reflection about what democratization means in the context of library technologymeans in the context of library technology

Tool for re-envisioning roles of libraries in Tool for re-envisioning roles of libraries in societal discourses about technologysocietal discourses about technology

Analytical tool for exploring library Analytical tool for exploring library technology development technology development

Page 15: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

A Critical Theory of Library A Critical Theory of Library Technology - Part I: FoundationsTechnology - Part I: Foundations

Technology as fundamental basis of Technology as fundamental basis of library development library development

Critical theory of technologyCritical theory of technology

Social and community informaticsSocial and community informatics

Page 16: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

A Critical Theory of Library A Critical Theory of Library Technology - Part II: AnalysisTechnology - Part II: Analysis

Levels of impact:Levels of impact: Policy & Advocacy - Are library technology Policy & Advocacy - Are library technology

actions actions progressive and democratic?progressive and democratic? Individual & Community - Are library Individual & Community - Are library

technology actions technology actions participatory and participatory and community-oriented?community-oriented?

Systems & Institution - Are library technology Systems & Institution - Are library technology actions actions open and collaborative?open and collaborative?

Page 17: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Critical Theory, OA and LibrariesCritical Theory, OA and Libraries

Libraries as “battlegrounds” for contesting Libraries as “battlegrounds” for contesting increasing commodification of informationincreasing commodification of information

Contesting “stranglehold” of commercial Contesting “stranglehold” of commercial publisherspublishers

Creating openings for more democratic Creating openings for more democratic production and access of scholarly production and access of scholarly knowledgeknowledge

Exposing tensions and contradictions of Exposing tensions and contradictions of techno-capitalismtechno-capitalism

Page 18: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Critical Theory and Library Critical Theory and Library Promotion of OAPromotion of OA

In-depth, “test” cases needed of library-In-depth, “test” cases needed of library-based OA advocacy based OA advocacy Need for exemplars of library open access Need for exemplars of library open access

advocacy to begin applying the framework as advocacy to begin applying the framework as a mode of analysisa mode of analysis

Does OA embody the principles and ethics of Does OA embody the principles and ethics of critical theory? critical theory?

Page 19: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Future Research Future Research

How can we use the critical theory of library technology How can we use the critical theory of library technology framework to study other library technology practices? framework to study other library technology practices?

Open access publishing Open access publishing Digital librariesDigital libraries Community archivingCommunity archiving Community networksCommunity networks Digital referenceDigital reference Content development Content development Etc, etc.Etc, etc.

How can this framework adapt and incorporate other How can this framework adapt and incorporate other relevant social theories and approaches?relevant social theories and approaches?

Page 20: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Thank You!Thank You!

Ajit PyatiAjit Pyati

[email protected]@gmail.com

Page 21: A Critical Theory of Library Technology:  Libraries & Electronic Publishing

Research Agenda Research Agenda

International library developmentInternational library development Libraries and information access in the developing Libraries and information access in the developing

world world

Information society & policyInformation society & policy Culturally relevant and social justice-oriented ICT4D Culturally relevant and social justice-oriented ICT4D

projectsprojects

Globalization, migration, & ICTsGlobalization, migration, & ICTs Immigrant and diasporic communities and information Immigrant and diasporic communities and information

behavior; new media technologies; politics and power behavior; new media technologies; politics and power of cultural representationof cultural representation