Das ungarische Bibliothekssystem und die Veränderungen der Situation der Bibliothekare nach 1990

The basis of the Hungarian library system was laid in the period before the political and economic changes around 1990. In the 1990s, this laid the foundation for a dynamic expansion of international contacts, supported by the sympathy and openness of Western Europe. However, the economic changes and societal transformations in Hungary during the 1990s devalued libraries, librarians, and the knowledge recorded in books. The idea developed that the information technology and its companies could replace libraries. They provide services, but they do not serve. Hungarian libraries are trying to use the possibilities offered by information technology by valorising their own carefully controlled data sets and taking on a new social role. However, their success is significantly hindered by continuous staff cuts, inadequate budgets, and international isolation.