Historically, university libraries have been defined by the collections they housed and it was the collection that formed the basis of their identity and organization. However, societal developments have shifted this focus, leading to significant changes in both the content and conditions of these collections. What was once predominantly characterized by printed materials has now transitioned to primarily electronic resources. This paper explores how the concept of documents can be utilized to examine the identity of contemporary university libraries. Specifically, it employs David Levy’s notion of documents as ‘talking things,’ examining their relationship to various genres and rhythms. Furthermore, the material, social, and mental dimensions of documents are also considered.
Thank you to The Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities and the"Wallenbergsstiftelsens fond" for providing a travel grant which enabled my participation in this yearsannual meeting of the Document Academy.