46. évfolyam, 2000. 1-2. szám

Archívum

The Department of Library Science and Informatics, Faculty of Arts, Loránd Eötvös University celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1999. The head of the department, György Sebestyén (The role and significance of the Department of Library Science, FA, LEU in Hungarian and international librarianship) summarised the history of the department outlining the cultural historical and political background from 1949 up till now, indicating what impact changes of international and Hungarian librarianship (these days for example the emergence of the information society, globalisation, or the new library act) had on the curriculum of the training. The department intends to educate well-trained, independent, creative professionals, with the feeling of the responsibility of intellectuals, who are capable of quality library and information work, who are able to manage such institutions, to prepare decisions, and to do research. The department has to adapt to changes permanently, and has to monitor and modernise the training.
A one-time student of the department, György Kókay (As the first students of librarianship saw it…) remembered in a personal encounter what it was like to be a university student in the fifties, and recollected the excellent, scholarly lecturers of those times, Béla Kéki, Béla Varjas, László Mezey, Béla Kõhalmi.
Sándor Szabó spoke about the more recent past (Thoughts on the history of the Department of Library Science and Informatics, LEU, in the seventies and eighties). In the seventies the life of the department was more inconsequent. Department heads followed one-another, and did not have time to pursue their ideas. The situation has consolidated after the nomination of Géza Fülöp (1986). Plans were elaborated concerning the curriculum, the programme, and the staff of the department. The new curriculum was oriented towards information science, and subjects of the sociology of reading were incorporated in it again. It was considered a drawback that at the time of the two-subject training only majors from the faculty of arts could be chosen. Since then one-subject training has been introduced, and any other subject can be selected. Two successful postgraduate courses have also been started (one in informatics, the other in the history of librarianship). The low number of students, and its negative consequences were recurring problems of the 80s. The underfinancing of academic training had lead to difficulties in staffing and recruitment.
The outstanding, and decisive personality, Géza Fülöp, late department head, who passed away recently was also remembered (Barátné Hajdu Ágnes: Introducing the Géza Fülöp memorial volume). A volume in honour of him was published by his late students, friends, and those who respected him.
Baráthné summarised the history of the preparation of the memorial volume. 

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