Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Associate Professor of Sociology, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
In contemporary times, the cultivation and advancement of libraries hold substantial importance as indicative markers of cultural progress. This research endeavors to examine the cultural and social implications arising from the establishment of a library within the Vanak village neighborhood of Tehran. The study employs a theoretical framework grounded in the human-environment perspective, focusing on three key areas of intervention: changes in the local community, leisure opportunities, and reading behavior. The ensuing analysis encompasses the assessment of social, cultural, economic, and physical consequences. Methodologically, the study employs a two-fold approach, employing thematic analysis as the primary methodology, followed by a supplementary survey method. The negative aftermath of constructing the library primarily manifests in diminished street-level safety for patrons, reduced psychological comfort of neighbors, conflicts between neighbors and library patrons, and parking space challenges for residents. Conversely, the positive ramifications encompass enhanced accessibility to the library space, improved academic performance among students, increased prosperity of businesses neighboring the project, the fortification of institutional social capital through coupling school-library connections, mitigation of social harm, and heightened cultural awareness within the neighborhood. Lastly, to mitigate adverse consequences and amplify positive effects, the study proposes four potential scenarios for future project developments: failure, compensation, welcome, and hope.
Introduction
In the majority of urban projects overseen by the Tehran Municipality, it is pertinent to surpass purely economic and urban planning considerations and instead address the environmental, social, and cultural implications. Accordingly, the Vanak village neighborhood currently features approximately two libraries in its T-1 phase. The proposed undertaking, spearheaded by the "Technical and Civil Assistant" of Tehran Region 3 municipality, entails the construction of a library in the form of a book cafe. This initiative aims to bolster cultural advancement, foster an increase in per capita reading rates, and mitigate the detrimental social effects within the T-0 stage. Consequently, this research poses a crucial query for the subsequent T+1 stage: What are the cultural, social, economic, and physical consequences of erecting a book cafe for the inhabitants of Vanak village neighborhood? Thus, the primary objective of this study is to anticipate and examine the positive and negative aftermaths associated with constructing a library at the neighborhood level in Vanak village. Such endeavors strive to enhance the efficiency and efficacy of the library's construction while concurrently fostering the improvement and development of a reading culture.
Literature review
The conceptual framework of this study draws inspiration from the "human-environmental approach," which is substantiated by numerous theories within the domains of architecture, social environment, landscape, and environmental psychology. In accordance with the triple model of "individual-environment-local community," the social and cultural repercussions resulting from the establishment of the Vanak village library are evaluated through the lens of three key variables: the audience, the neighborhood community, and the physical environment. Subsequently, an assessment of the social, cultural, economic, and physical consequences was conducted.
Methodology
Based on the pragmatism paradigm, the research design employed in this study is reflective of a mixed-method approach, specifically categorized as a "social and cultural impact assessment." To that end, the research methodology comprised two distinct stages. Initially, a thematic analysis approach was employed, entailing interviews with key stakeholders encompassing municipal managers, experts from Region Three, councilors, cultural enthusiasts, local activists, school teachers, and residents residing in close proximity to the construction site. This purposeful sampling enabled a comprehensive exploration of the needs, attitudes, and consequences associated with the construction of the Vanak village library within the Deh-E-Vanak neighborhood. Subsequently, a questionnaire-based survey method was utilized to evaluate reading behavior, social needs of the residents, and the wider implications of the project. Employing a multi-stage sampling technique, the statistical population for this phase of the study encompassed all individuals aged 12 years and above residing within the Vanak village neighborhood, who could potentially benefit from the library. Considering a desired level of precision, the sample size was estimated to be 350 respondents, employing Cochran's formula.
Results
In this study, the scenario method was employed to forecast the potential outcomes of the development endeavors and to envision effective strategies for the Vanak village library's growth and development. Accordingly, based on varying degrees of "cultural program" implementation by the municipal authority and levels of "social participation" exhibited by the Vanak village residents, four scenarios can be projected for the project's future trajectory:
Failure scenario: This scenario emerges as a consequence of a feeble cultural program executed by the urban administration of Region 3, coupled with minimal motivation and limited social engagement from the community post-library inauguration. As a result, the library space and facilities experience underutilization, ultimately leading to project instability over the long term.
Compensation scenario: This scenario considers the optimal utilization of existing urban spaces owned by the Region 3 municipality. Such an approach prevents redundancy and fiscal wastage, while simultaneously fostering the cultivation of awareness and cultural enrichment among the residents of Vanak village.
Reception scenario: In this scenario, characterized by the cultural maturation and advancement of the Vanak village neighborhood, the community displays embracing behavior towards the library. Consequently, the library's purpose and activities align with a "neighborhood-oriented" focus. Consequently, it becomes imperative to undertake measures encompassing people-centered interaction, motivational strategies to encourage library usage, neighborhood management techniques, and the provision of diverse ancillary activities to enhance social participation within this cultural milieu. Ultimately, this scenario fosters the successful cultivation of a reading culture.
Hope scenario: This scenario illustrates the gradual familiarity and utilization of the library by diverse patrons, as per their individual needs. With sustained implementation, this situation holds potential for cultural development and the advancement of a reading culture within the Vanak village community, as well as Region 3 of the municipality. Consequently, the effects and outcomes of such an optimistic scenario, primarily driven by "specialized and extra-neighborhood activities," give rise to cultural enrichment and the widespread promotion of reading.
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