L’accommodation des valeurs professionnelles aux valeurs culturelles chez les bibliothécaires universitaires sénégalais

La présente recherche vise à explorer et à décrire l’accommodation des valeurs professionnelles au sein du système de valeurs culturelles par les bibliothécaires universitaires sénégalais. Elle répond aux questions de recherche suivantes : (1) Quel est le système de valeurs culturelles dominant chez les bibliothécaires universitaires sénégalais ? (2) Comment les bibliothécaires universitaires sénégalais priorisent-ils leurs valeurs professionnelles ? (3) Comment les bibliothécaires universitaires sénégalais accommodent-ils leurs valeurs professionnelles à leurs valeurs culturelles ?cette recherche confirme la théorie de la prédominance dans les sociétés africaines en général d’un système de valeurs s’inscrivant dans l’axe « Continuité – Dépassement de soi » du modèle théorique de Schwartz (2006, 1992). Dans ce système, les valeurs dominantes sont des valeurs de types universalisme, bienveillance, tradition, conformité et sécurité. Ces valeurs favorisent l’intégration de l’individu au groupe, la solidarité et la sécurité familiale et le refus des actions de nature à porter atteinte à l’harmonie du groupe. Au plan pratique, la recherche démontre la nécessité de renforcer la socialisation professionnelle en intégrant l’éthique et les valeurs dans la formation des bibliothécaires universitaires sénégalais.

A profession basically includes two components: scientific skills and professional values, which are the guidelines of professionals’ daily demeanor. The library profession is based on values like the preservation of humanity cultural heritage, a fair access to knowledge, intellectual freedom, confidentiality and the protection library users’ private lives, professional neutrality, tolerance etc. In Senegal as well as in the other African countries, libraries are, on the whole, legacies of colonialism. The values of library science were designed in a western perspective. This profession value system may sometimes conflict with the Senegalese librarians’ cultural value systems. However, very little is known on ways Senegalese professionals cope with these two value systems. This present research will describe and explore the interactive co-existence and adaptation of professional values within the cultural value system of Senegalese academic librarians. It seeks to answer the following research questions: (1) what is the Senegalese academic librarians’ dominant cultural value system? (2) How do Senegalese academic librarians prioritize their professional values? (3) How do Senegalese academic librarians adapt their professional values to cultural values? This exploratory and descriptive analysis combines a mixed methodology approach: Two types of data collecting methods have been used: a questionnaire based on interviews and on Schwartz’s Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ) (Schwartz, 2006) The findings highlight the fact that, on the cultural level, Senegalese academic librarians essentially emphasize, in the value system, the interests of the social group they belong to, the respect of social order and adoption of normative behavior in order to facilitate their relationships with the other group members. The values favor a strong integration of the individual into a group but do not encourage an action and thought autonomy which may destroy social harmony. On the professional level, they regard access to information, preservation and conservation of heritage and the denial of all sorts of discriminations as essential professional values. As professional values conflict with cultural norms, Senegalese academic librarians often seek a compromise, a balanced position to make decision which does not basically question their cultural values. When a compromise is impossible, the final decision is made in favour of cultural values. On the theoretical level, this research confirms the theory of a value system predominance rooted in Schwartz’ perspective of the “continuity/self-transcendence” (Schwartz, 2006, 1992). In his system, the dominant values are universalism, benevolence, tradition, conformity and security. These values favor the individual’s integration into a group, solidarity and family security and the refusal to undertake actions which may endanger group harmony. On the practical level, this research displays the necessity to reinforce professional socialization which includes ethics and values in the training of Senegalese academic librarians.