The question of the emergence and possible future of bibliometrics: some examples from the world history of libraries

This article presents an analysis of a number of historical sources in order to study the emergence and potential prospects of bibliometrics based on examples from the world history of libraries. The object of this investigation is bibliometrics and libraries from different countries, from Ancient Nineveh to the present. A problem-chronological approach was applied to study issues related to the emergence and future of bibliometrics. The main focus is on the principles of historical knowledge, as well as how historicism and scientific research contribute to understanding the development of bibliometrics, based on the significance of examples from the world history of libraries. At the same time, special care should be taken to take into account the accumulated volume of historical data that has been collected and published to date.  The research methodology combines both general scientific and specialized methods. In the process of analyzing and comparing historical documents, as well as their descriptions, the proposed methods of working with archives are used to address issues related to the emergence and future of bibliometrics using examples from the world history of libraries. Bibliometrics is an integral part of the activities of scientific libraries around the world, playing a key role in assessing the publication activity and scientific effectiveness of researchers and scientific organizations. Moreover, bibliometrics is not just a tool for counting publications. Modern bibliometric methods make it possible to identify trends in the development of science, identify the most promising areas of research, study the relationship between various scientific disciplines, and identify key authorities in specific fields. This is how bibliometrics becomes a powerful tool for strategic planning in science and education. The use of bibliometric analysis in the search for historical and other materials is also expanding significantly. The capabilities of modern digital libraries and specialized databases allow for complex search queries, identifying relevant documents by various parameters: author, publication date, keywords, citation, etc. This is especially important for interdisciplinary research that requires access to a large amount of heterogeneous information. At the same time, the role of scientific libraries remains key – they should not only store and provide access to information, but also actively promote the understanding and application of bibliometric methods among scientists.

world history, library history, libraries, scientometry, bibliometry, Russia, Europe, Ancient Nineveh, Ancient world, Middle Ages