The aim of this study is to examine the historical information about women’s libraries and book ownership during the early modern period in the work of Carl Magnus Carlander, Svenska bibliotek och ex-libris [Swedish libraries and ex-libris] (1904) and to inquire the scientific value of the information. A gender perspective is applied to the study. Gender is understood as a social and cultural constructed concept, dealing with female and male identities as interdependent categories.The study of Svenska bibliotek och ex-libris is made using source criticism and it has two parts. The first part deals with external conditions of the creation of the work; the life of C. M. Carlander and his motives for writing the work. The cultural and scientific context of the late 20th century, especially ideas and practices of book collecting, is discussed in relation to the work of Carlander. In the second part of the study book ownership and libraries of ten women described in the text are analysed, evaluating the evidence of the information on the basis of criteria used in source criticism; time, independence and tendency.The biggest contribution to library history made by Carlander in this work is the attributing of book ownerships marks, as relics, to historical persons on a broad scale, giving subsequent researchers the possibility to continue his work on a more text sociological basis than thought of during the late 19th century. / Program: Bibliotekarie

This master's thesis deals with the public library project called the GÖK-project, whichconcerned three Swedish public libraries: Linnestaden (Göteborg), Örnskoldsvik and Kalmar.The general outlines for the project were: reconsideration of the conception of the literaryquality, improvement of the library services, adjustment to the library user and reconsiderationof the conception of adult education to the public libraries of the 90s. The projectcaused a big national debate with effort put on the conception of the literary quality.The topic of this master's thesis is partly the GÖK-project and its general outlines, partly theaccomplishment of the project, the main point put on the public library in Linnestaden(Göteborg). / Sidnumrering och text på sidorna 25-27 motsvarar det tryckta exemplaret.

The aim of this study is to examine present forms of interaction between Child Welfare Clinics (Barnavårdscentraler, BVC), and libraries. The study departs from the user’s perspective, i.e. how the parents evaluate the information they are given about the library and its resources to provide information they want in their present and new situation. In two local communities the survey looks into how parents of babies are informed about the library in meetings arranged as part of the information and support program provided by BVC. Methods used in the survey are interviews with librarians participating in information activities, and focus-group interviews with parents participating in BVC-groups meetings. The findings are related to other user studies connected to the ELlS-theory (Everyday Life Information Seeking). Results from the survey indicate that mothers do appreciate the information activities, and that the form of information group meetings often works well, in that more informed and regular library users give hints and advice to those not normally using the library. If information about the library and its information capability could be provided earlier during the pregnancy many mothers-in-waiting would use it to find information on the entirely new situation in life they find themselves in. / Uppsatsnivå: D

The purpose of this Master Thesis is to investigate the quality of the library service at the City Library of Uddevalla. In particular this thesis will examine the quality of the library service to people who are disabled. This applies particularly to the service to people with reduced ability to move or to see, which also includes people with infirmities due to old age. We also have investigated how well the library itself is adapted to the disabled. In order to get more information about the library service to people who are disabled, we have studied literature on this subject and the Master Thesis contains a summary of those documents. The study is based on interviews, visits, document and literature studies. As a theoretical starting point for our discussion, we have used Total Quality Management and Goal Steering. The chief outcome of the analysis is, that disabled people get a good service, when visiting the library. Those who are housebound also get a good service. But the work is performed in a rather unstructured way. Those who live in institutions would however need more personal and perhaps individual attention. In order to create a more effective utilization of the resources, the library ought to frame distinct strategies and goals. They would also need to carry out evaluations and adjustments of their services. / Uppsatsnivå: D

The aim of this master's thesis is to describe the role of language and culture as ethnical identification factors and illustrate how these have been used as political weapons by the Serb regime in Kosovo during the last decade. The thesis discusses the concept of ethnicity, the relations between the politics of identity, nationalism, ethnic mobilization and the importance of language and culture. Kosovo has historically been characterized by severe ethnic antagonism between Serbs and Albanians. Different languages, cultures and religions beside political processes led to ethnic cleavages that paved the way for ethnocentrism, ethnonationalism, chauvinism, ethnic cleansing and civil war. Since 1989, the Serbian authorities have intervened in all important spheres of life, in an attempt to Serbianize Kosovo. In order to eliminate the Albanian cultural heritage Albanian mass media have been banned amongst other cultural and intellectual institutions. Schools have been partly closed for Albanian students and Albanian language and culture have played a marginal role in the school curriculum. Many Albanians were dismissed from their jobs due to their ethnical background, and the use of Albanian in the public domain and in state institutions was discriminated against. Order was maintained by a massive police and military presence, suppressing all forms of Albanian overt dissent. Several libraries and a lot of the Albanian book and magazine component was burned or destroyed by other means, partly because of the segregation politics in operation, partly because of the war events that took place in 1998-1999. / Uppsatsnivå: D

The purpose of this master thesis is to describe and analyse the development of the library history in the municipality of Karlsborg. This is done with a comparison to the library development in Sweden as a whole and in particular to the cities of Lidköping and Halmstad. I have worked according to the following questions: 1. How did the libraries develop before the municipality took over? 2. How did the libraries develop after the municipality took over? The library history of Karlsborg started in 1862 with the foundation of a parish library which lasted until 1899. The next step was the foundation of the Workers of the Munitions Factory Library Association in 1907. This association ran a library on the factory grounds until forced by security measures to close down in 1915. In the same year the IOGT-lodge The Star of Lake Wättern started a library. The two libraries continued to work alongside each other since the Workers reopened their library in 1921. There were several talks about merger but nothing came about until 1956 when the two libraries were merged and taken over by the municipality. The two libraries financed their activity by several means. The main source of income was the subsidies given by the state and the municipality. Other important sources were the Munitions Factory and Trade unions. The librarians were volunteers and were not paid before the 1940s. The stock of books did show a steady but small increase, as did the lending figures. When the municipality took over there was a considerable boost to the whole library activity with funding and lending etc. In 1969 the first purpose-built library building in Karlsborg was inaugurated. The library development in Lidköping and Halmstad was much the same as in Karlsborg. The library activity did however start earlier and was on a larger scale. Since both Lidköping and Halmstad are much bigger than Karlsborg this is hardly a surprise. Halmstad is somewhat different since the municipality did take over the library activities already in 1933-1934 some twenty years earlier than in Karlsborg and Lidköping. In the later case the municipality took over in 1951. / Uppsatsnivå: D

The aim of this study was to examine how children in ages 3 to 4 use the public library with the research questions: What does children’s, in ages between 3 and 4, information behavior look like when they visit a public library in leisure time with a parent? What is the nature of interaction between child and parent, child and the staff of the library, and between child and other visitors? What is the function of the cultural tools in relation to the children’s information behavior? The theoretical frame of reference consisted of Lev Vygotsky’s “the zone of proximal development” and Roger Säljö’s theory about using cultural tools. To answer the questions I have observed 4 children together with their mothers and siblings at a public library. From the result of the observations I found that every child had their own information behavior. Two of the children only used one kind of cultural tool – books. The two others used different kinds of cultural tools. They used the computer, the drawing table, read comics and books. They were on different levels in using those cultural tools, depending on earlier experience at the library. The ones who influenced the children’s information behavior most, were the mothers. The children did use the library like their parents did. All the children got some kind of help in their zone of proximal development from their mothers. / Uppsatsnivå: D

The purpose of this master's thesis is to describe and analyse the origin and development of the library of Workers´ Educational Association in the community of Oskarström. This library is special because the organisation run it much longer than usual, until 1977, and to find an answer to why, we have the following questions: Why does the library of Workers´ Educational Association start their activity in Oskarström, and how does it develop, in relation to premises, librarians, financing, the stock of books and the numbers of books out on loan? What is the reason that the library in Oskarström is municipalized as late as 1977? The methods we use are hermeneutics and evaluation of the sources. The library is founded in 1914 and become important for the workers. Important sources of income are the subventions given by the state, municipality and other associations. The library acts as a public library during all its time. After the final reforms of the municipalities in Sweden, the new municipality Halmstad take over the library in 1974. The reason why the organisation runs it until 1977 is because the municipality wants to build new premises for the library, and these are not finished until that year. / Uppsatsnivå: D

The usability of the Internet increases for every year. The Weblog phenomenon makes it possible for anyone to easily publish, find information and get in touch with other people through the net. This Essay treats the possibilities the Weblog medium offer Swedish libraries and librarians in library contexts. The purpose of the study is to examine the Web phenomenon: Weblogs, and their significance for a total of eleven Library Heads and librarians together with their view on the Weblog activity at each library connected Weblog, to get comprehension and new knowledge on the usability of Weblogs in the library sector. The foundation for the Essay consists of a qualitative interview study, built on asynchronous e-mail interviews and telephone interviews with blogging librarians and Heads of libraries. Theoretical frames and concepts are taken from Internet Research Theory, Socio-cultural Theory and Theory of Library- and Information Science. From the result and analysis can be found that Weblogs serves a purpose as virtual arenas, where people can meet, communicate, discuss and exchange information along with networking. The Weblog is a complement to other information channels as for example Web, e-mail and intranet. Weblogs are used for the purposes of communication and information, for marketing and for pedagogical activities. My conclusion is that for libraries and librarians the Weblog activity means a new way of communication and dialog with the surrounding world. The Library Sector can make its activities come into sight and the librarians can inform and communicate with colleagues and users. / Uppsatsnivå: D

The starting point for the present study is that the physical environment can enhance the learning processes of children. We want to contribute to more focus being placed on this within library and information sciences. Our main aim is to illustrate how the physical environment can facilitate the learning of children. In order to achieve our aim, we examine a concrete physical environment, namely the children’s department at the main library in Kungsbacka. We have attempted to answer the following questions:1. How does the staff of the children’s department look upon the relationship between the physical environment and the learning of children?2. How can the physical environment influence the accessibility to the information systems SAB and the children’s catalogue at the children’s department in Kungsbacka?3. In what way can the physical environment at the children’s department at the main library in Kungsbacka facilitate the learning of children?Material has been obtained through qualitative observations and a group interview with the staff of the children’s department, and analysed with the help of interactionist theories and a socio-cultural perspective on children’s learning. We have found that the physical environment at the children’s department supports the learning of children in several ways. The accessibility to the material available at the library is enhanced by classification into genres. A rich supply of toys and inspiring environments enables the children to be active. Yet the study includes proposals for improvement, including inter alia better exposure of the children’s OPAC, adaptation of the division for non-fiction literature and measures to enable children to influence the environment. / Uppsatsnivå: D