Public libraries as reserves of cultural and digital capital: Addressing inequality through digitalization |
| |
| Authors: | Adrian Leguina Sabina Mihelj John Downey |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Business School, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China;2. School of Economic Information Engineering, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China;3. Faculty of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China;1. Department of Natural Sciences and Technology, Vietnam National University, Hanoi - International School (VNU-IS), Building G7, 144 Xuan Thuy St, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Viet Nam;2. Caulfield School of Information Technology, Faculty of Information Technology Monash University, PO Box 197, Caulfield East, Vic. 3145, Australia;3. School of Information Studies, Faculty of Education, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia |
| |
| Abstract: | Public libraries are among key sites for the acquisition of cultural capital, and possibly one of the most potent means through which the state can address inequality. While digitalization of public libraries already attracted significant scholarly attention, the evidence of its contribution to the acquisition of cultural skills and knowledge and social mobility remains limited, as does the conceptual understanding of links between digitalization, cultural capital, and social stratification. This article draws on two disconnected bodies of research, the sociological analysis of cultural capital and stratification and research on digital divides. To bridge these two bodies of research, the interplay of cultural and digital capital in public libraries was investigated. The extensive dataset from the UK Taking Part Survey (2016–17) was analyzed using two-step cluster analysis and multinomial regression models to explore the contrasting profiles of contemporary library users. Results identify four distinct user groups: Traditional, Active, Family, and Tech Access, which possess different degrees of cultural and digital capital, have different demographic profiles, and benefit from digitalized libraries in different ways. If libraries are to fulfil their role in reducing social inequalities, it is important that they tailor their digital services to the specific characteristics of each user group. This approach also provides a useful template for exploring the interplay of digitalization and (in)equality in other cultural institutions. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
