This bachelor thesis examines research support services at three SwedishUniversity Libraries. Three methods are used, aiming at capturingdifferent aspects of the support services. The quantitative methods are textanalysis (word count) based on the libraries annual reports and aquestionnaire aiming at mapping the services. In addition, a qualitativecontent analysis is performed, based on semi structured interviews withthree informants, one at each of the university libraries. The results showthat the libraries have developed support services for all stages in aresearch process, however differently. The three libraries seem to havesome distinctive features in their research support services that areconsistent with each university's profile. Based on the perspective ofJoacim Hansson's theory about library discourse versus library practice,and his and Krister Johannesson's dimensions proactive versus reactive,the thesis also discusses how these features are expressed by theinformants and how the different views influence and are influenced bythe typical features of the university and the library research supportservices.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how structural changes are depicted as well as formally brought about in the documents of rule and regulation of Uppsala University and Uppsala University Library the years 1999−2013. Beside the documents of rule and regulation, also documents that is commenting on (or in other ways relates to) these are investigated. The study is based both in organizational theory and modern rhetorical theory. The results show that the University to a certain extent gained an increased possibility to micromanage the library’s working routines during the time span covered and the study traces the consequences this had on the library organization and reactions it evoked among the leaders and representatives of the library staff This raised a debate between representatives from the University library and its mother organization, the University, regarding at which level in the whole organization decisions regarding the library’s forms of funding and everyday praxis. In addition also the development at the University library at Lund University is more briefly surveyed, as a complementing picture. The thesis is a two years master’s thesis written at the Department of Archive, Library and Museum Studies at Uppsala University.