The paper addresses fundamental questions concerning the nature, genesis, and function of a subject literature-all knowledge records pertaining to a subject. A generalizable notion of a subject literature is developed and discussed in the terms of object, content, and use, and their interrelationships. The main areas of a scientific study of subject literatures are indicated. Structural interpretation is shown to be a promising strategic assumption for basic theoretical efforts and analytic research. The results of such studies aimed at explanation are examined as to their practical significance.
Author Biography
Conrad Rawski
Conrad H. Rawski is professor of library science at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH 44106) where he serves as coordinator of the Ph.D. program in library and information science. Dr. Rawski is interested in the theoretical foundations of knowledge communication. His Toward a Theory of Librarianship was published by Scarecross Press, 1973.
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