Cultural capital and public libraries in the era of algorithmic collection management.
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| Title: | Cultural capital and public libraries in the era of algorithmic collection management. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Heikkilä, Riie Lotta Solveig1 (AUTHOR) riie.heikkila@tuni.fi |
| Source: | Journal of Documentation. 2026, Vol. 82 Issue 7, p38-55. 18p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Library automation, *Library circulation & loans, *Collection development in libraries, *Qualitative research, *Public libraries, Cultural capital |
| Geographic Terms: | Finland |
| Abstract: | Purpose: The purpose of this article is to understand how librarians perceive the advent of algorithm-based collection management (ACM), which helps them recognise patrons' loaning patterns, and what threats or possibilities ACM is seen to bring to public libraries, with their mission to provide "cultural capital" freely to all citizens. Design/methodology/approach: This empirical study, based on a comparative case from Finland, included 10 interviews with librarians at two Finnish libraries, one using ACM and one not. The interviews were analysed via qualitative content analysis and organised thematically. Findings: The librarians' discourses on ACM fell into two main categories: optimism and hesitation. The optimism discourse relies on the idea of a functional, tech-positive library that builds cultural capital by offering patrons materials that fit their existing tastes, while the hesitation discourse laments that ACM narrows down collections and takes gatekeeping from librarians, believing that public libraries should strengthen and level cultural capital by exposing patrons to a wide variety of culture. The librarians, not yet working under ACM, combined elements from both the optimism and hesitation discourses. Practical implications: This research offers valuable information about how ACM challenges the traditional understanding of public libraries' mission of levelling citizens' cultural capital and identifies common challenges and pitfalls in a scenario of technological change and budget cuts in the public sector. Originality/value: There have been very few or no comparative academic studies on algorithmic collection management in public libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Documentation is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 193409835 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Cultural capital and public libraries in the era of algorithmic collection management. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Heikkilä%2C+Riie+Lotta+Solveig%22">Heikkilä, Riie Lotta Solveig</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> riie.heikkila@tuni.fi</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Documentation%22">Journal of Documentation</searchLink>. 2026, Vol. 82 Issue 7, p38-55. 18p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+automation%22">Library automation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+circulation+%26+loans%22">Library circulation & loans</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Collection+development+in+libraries%22">Collection development in libraries</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+libraries%22">Public libraries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+capital%22">Cultural capital</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Finland%22">Finland</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: The purpose of this article is to understand how librarians perceive the advent of algorithm-based collection management (ACM), which helps them recognise patrons' loaning patterns, and what threats or possibilities ACM is seen to bring to public libraries, with their mission to provide "cultural capital" freely to all citizens. Design/methodology/approach: This empirical study, based on a comparative case from Finland, included 10 interviews with librarians at two Finnish libraries, one using ACM and one not. The interviews were analysed via qualitative content analysis and organised thematically. Findings: The librarians' discourses on ACM fell into two main categories: optimism and hesitation. The optimism discourse relies on the idea of a functional, tech-positive library that builds cultural capital by offering patrons materials that fit their existing tastes, while the hesitation discourse laments that ACM narrows down collections and takes gatekeeping from librarians, believing that public libraries should strengthen and level cultural capital by exposing patrons to a wide variety of culture. The librarians, not yet working under ACM, combined elements from both the optimism and hesitation discourses. Practical implications: This research offers valuable information about how ACM challenges the traditional understanding of public libraries' mission of levelling citizens' cultural capital and identifies common challenges and pitfalls in a scenario of technological change and budget cuts in the public sector. Originality/value: There have been very few or no comparative academic studies on algorithmic collection management in public libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Documentation is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=193409835 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 18 StartPage: 38 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Library automation Type: general – SubjectFull: Library circulation & loans Type: general – SubjectFull: Collection development in libraries Type: general – SubjectFull: Qualitative research Type: general – SubjectFull: Public libraries Type: general – SubjectFull: Cultural capital Type: general – SubjectFull: Finland Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Cultural capital and public libraries in the era of algorithmic collection management. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Heikkilä, Riie Lotta Solveig IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 12 Text: 2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00220418 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 82 – Type: issue Value: 7 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Documentation Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
