Archives, Libraries and Museums in the Contemporary Society: Perspectives of the Professionals

The aim of this study is to investigate how ALM professionals conceptualise the common role of archives, libraries and museums (ALMs) in the contemporary society. There is only a little earlier empirical research on the topic. This study is based on a quantitative analysis of the results of a web survey of 131 ALM professionals. The analysis shows that the views of the respondents epitomise diverging and contradictory ideas of the role of the institutions. The findings underline the need to discuss and define the future of the ALMs on a profound level of their societal role with a clear emphasis of its theoretical underpinnings. The diverse of opinions and number of mostly practice-oriented visions can be helpful in shaping and reshaping the role of the institutions. At the same time, it is apparent that they do not have the required theoretical depth to function as a common ground for explicating the role of ALMs in the contemporary society.publishedye