Andrews and Buggey’s Authenticity Theory and Public Library's Role in Preserving and Safeguarding the Iran's Aboriginal Cultural Landscapes

Authenticity in cultural landscapes integrates our identity with land, aboriginals, symbols, values and also aboriginals’ believe system. Public libraries are assumed to play an important role in preserving this authenticity. The purpose of this study was to test this presumption on the bases of viewpoints of central and local managers at Iran Public Libraries Organization.

This is a qualitative directed-content analysis. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with a sample consisting of senior and middle managers of Iran Public Libraries Organization bureaus in Tehran, Mazandaran and Bandar-Abbas provinces. The collected data were analyzed considering Andrews and Buggey's Authenticity in Aboriginal Cultural Landscapes theory.

Participants confirmed the authenticity in aboriginal cultural landscapes and also the public library role in safeguarding such authenticity. Of the grounded gatagories denoting the need of safeguarding authenticity in aboriginal cultural landscapes were the necessity of acknowledging aboriginal authors works, preserving historical cultural objects, holding local fairs and festivals, and recognizing crafters and donors of aboriginal artworks. Up to participants’ comments public libraries in Iran currently play no active and clear role in preserving indigenous cultural heritage. Treatment of the illness in the body of Iranian public librarires requires policymakers’ rapt attention.

This research invites attention to the inevitable integration of identity and indigenous knowledge into the land, and material and cultural heritage. Despite the inactive and inattentive public libraries role, appreciating authenticity in aboriginal cultural landscapes clears a passage through understanding and forms protective shield against current and future events.