Digital Modernisation of Public Libraries in Ukraine Through the Prism of Media Environment: Experience and Perspectives

The aim of the article is to study peculiarities of the modern media environment functioning in Ukrainian public libraries under digitalisation conditions, as well as to offer ways of increasing the digital modernisation of Ukrainian libraries. Research methods. The article applies general scientific and special research methods, including analysis and synthesis, comparative method, prognostic method, and content analysis method. Scientific novelty. It is offered to improve the model of the library’s innovative media space by incorporating the concept of digital resources. Main conclusions. The digital modernisation processes of Ukrainian public libraries are studied through in the context of media environment. Gradual changes in the traditional library model and implementation of digital communications in its work are identified. Problems of applying digital technologies in Ukrainian libraries’ operations are analysed. Presence of differentiation in the scale of digital modernisation between different types of libraries is revealed. A significant digital division is observed between national, regional libraries and city, rural, township libraries of Ukraine. It is established that the uneven development of the library system affects the quality of user services. A necessity in developing state programmes to support small libraries or unified methodological recommendations for digitalisation that can be easily used in their work is grounded. It is suggested to include digital library resources in the model of innovative library media space, which involves applying an approach whereby Ukrainian public libraries are active participants in creating and distributing digital content. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the integration of Ukrainian libraries into the modern information space allows to expand opportunities by transforming them into platforms for collective creativity, joint content creation, and gradual integration of library and information resources with global information resources.