Biblioteka 

Abstract: Since mid-17th century, the scholarly journal was the most important medium of communication within the community of scholars. It also has a number of other functions, such as quality control, archiving, and recognition of authors. The necessity of journals for the development of science and scholarship has been questioned, also from the perspective of cultural anthropology. Some of its functions can already be replaced with other solutions, made available by new information and communication technologies. A number of proposals for a new formula of the journal do not, however, ensure proper fulfilment of all its traditional functions. It seems both important and interesting to look at the scholarly procedures related to publishing in journals as a ritual strengthening self-identification and integration of a scholarly subcommunity related to a particular research area and methodological school.