Formation of Approaches to Determining the Social Effectiveness of Scientific Activity of Libraries

The problem of evaluating the effectiveness of scientific activity as applied to the humanitarian and library sphere is analyzed. Research conducted in libraries contributes to the development of libraries themselves, as well as to the study and disclosure of cultural heritage. The question of the effectiveness of the conducted research is of fundamental importance. An analysis of the evolution of approaches to the evaluation of effectiveness is presented. In the last quarter of the 20th century, the fundamental principle of scientific policy was the position “science is the direct productive force of society”, which focused on the implementation of the findings of research activities and the formation of ideas about the mandatory material form of the results. This attitude is not applicable in the social sciences and humanities. In the Soviet period, the task of practical connection of science with production for a long time established the position that any scientific result should be practically tangible and economically effective, and every research should end with a document containing certain conclusions and a list of measures, or with an act on the implementation of research results. Currently, to assess not only the performance of individual scientists and organizations, but also in the formation of public science policy, the use of scientometric methods — quantitative measurements of information characteristics of published results of scientific work — is widely used. However, the scientometric approach continues to be debated. In the last decade the theoretical problem of social effectiveness of science, which, unlike economic, is not direct and specific and difficult to measure, has been increasingly discussed. Research conducted in the field of scientific support of library development has been proven to have a pronounced impact on library work (e. g., in the form of developed concepts, strategies, programs, etc.). Research of historical and cultural character influences the formation of public and individual consciousness, value system and contributes to the solution of the most important strategic state tasks. Determining the social effectiveness of research activities of libraries is becoming increasingly important.