Czech bibliology in the twenty-first century — its historical development and current state

Abstract

The assessment of the current state of bibliology in Czechia, i.e. directions of its development and research accomplishments as well as staff training, is impossible without a historical overview of the evolution of bibliology as a more or less independent scholarly discipline. A study has recently been devoted to the subject, but only for the period until the beginning of the Second World War. That is why the author of the article, drawing on the literature on the subject, internet sources and information obtained from the staff of relevant research institutions, focuses first of all on the second half of the twentieth century, i.e. the role and accomplishments of the most important figures involved in the development of the discipline, the position of bibliology in the higher education system at the time as well as the changes which occurred in it in connection with the political breakthrough of 1989 and the emergence of computerised systems towards the end of the twentieth century. A substantial part of the article is devoted to the events from the last two decades. The author notes the rather difficult situation of the discipline at the turn of the millennium as well as attempts to rebuild it, manifested primarily in its restoration to the curriculum in the 2007/2008 academic year, increasingly successful eff orts of libraries and museums (“institutions of memory”) to obtain funds for scholarly activities, and attempts to formulate a concept of further development of the discipline. In the conclusion the author refl ects on the prospects for the development of bibliology in the nearest future, as well as measures that may lead to is further evolution and revival in broad research into the history of book culture in Czechia.