The purpose of this Master’s thesis studies is to examine how information seeking is taught from a pedagogical and didactic perspective. The questions at issue are:• What is the content in information seeking education?• What aims are focused in information seeking education?• What methods are used in information seeking education? The methods being used are empirical studies and studies of literature, within the subject area. The study is inspired by phenomenographical learning theories. Through eight qualitative interviews we have examined how the respondents describe the content, the aims and the methods in their information seeking education. These interviews have been taped, transcribed and categorized. Our theoretical framework is based on pedagogic theories of knowledge and a didactic theory. To subsequently clarify the dynamic relation between these a pedagogical triangle of practice were used. This essay points out that the information seeking educations are reflected in a pedagogical and didactic perspective to some extent only. Our study shows that all our respondents are well aware of many of the students’ difficulties in the information seeking process and there is a discrepancy between this awareness and the measures taken in the teaching. According to the authors of this essay, the school librarian work would be facilitated if they have knowledge in pedagogical and didactic theory and that teachers ought to make information seeking to an explicit learning object where their knowledge of pedagogical and didactic theory are used. / Uppsatsnivå: D

Läsförståelsen hos Sveriges 15-åringar sjunker drastiskt och läsfrämjande arbete med barn och unga har förstärkts i bibliotekslagen. Samtidigt har FN:s barnkonvention blivit lag och medfört att barns delaktighet är ett högaktuellt ämne. Utifrån detta och att biblioteksforskare anser att barnbibliotekets utformning behöver ses över, är studier av biblioteksrum i syfte att stärka barns delaktighet och litteracitetsutveckling befogat. Rummet kan fungera som resurs i det didaktiska arbetet med barn och denna studie syftar till att belysa att rummet som resurs även kan tillämpas på barnbibliotek. Rummets betydelse för läsfrämjande arbete på barnbibliotek har här studerats genom observationer av barnens interaktioner med biblioteksrum och intervjuer med bibliotekspersonal, på tre olika barnbiblioteksverksamheter. Studien har undersökt de olika metoder genom vilka barnbiblioteken arbetar med läsfrämjande och barns delaktighet och hur bibliotekspersonal utformat rummet för att stödja detta. Analysen har sin utgångspunkt i teorier om rummets betydelse, litteracitetsbegreppet och olika förståelse av barns delaktighet.Resultaten visar på att barns delaktighet på barnbibliotek inte är oproblematisk. I synnerhet var det inte oproblematisk att få barnens synpunkter på utvecklingen av verksamheten. Att fråga barnen var mindre effektivt än att observera och samspela med dem. Läsfrämjande verksamhet kan vara att utforma rum som tillgängliggör böcker till barnen och inbjuder till högläsning men kan även vara att erbjuda vägar in till litteraturen genom berättande och olika estetiska uttryckssätt. Men oavsett synen på läsfrämjande, gagnar en medveten utformning av rummet verksamhetens syften genom att underlätta barnens utforskande av sin litteracitet och sin delaktighet på barnbiblioteket.

The thesis aim is to get an understanding of how Uppsala University Library teaches about information searching and with this gain an insight on positive and working aspects in the teaching and how it can be developed for the better. To achieve these aims, three didactic questions were used as an overall theme and as a base for the research questions. These questions consisted of what (content), how (methods) and why? (goals and purposes). The methods consisted of observations and semi-structured group interviews that were conducted from December 2017 to April 2018.  Another method that was used is a directed content analysis of legal texts and guidance documents that the informants deemed important for their work. In regard of what, the result showed that lectures were more basic on earlier semesters, and more advanced later into the education. The content was also adapted to students by subject-specific databases, search examples and exercises that reflected students’ subject, future profession and everyday life. However, I could also see signs of less adaption in some search examples and because certain content was more frequent and used on several occasions. For example, many lectures focused on going through databases, source evaluation, reference management, various types of material and the meaning of scientificity. Also, many informants meant that they were generalists and did not have time to familiarize themselves with students' subject in a greater extent. In the question how, it became apparent that active actions were frequent as well as adaptation in teaching. This was shown in the form of exercises, own search time, regular use of questions and that an active dialogue occurred with students and was deemed important. Various rhetorical aspects of the teaching were that the frequent use and need of computers made the informants’ eye contact and body language less apparent and limited. The informants often seemed well prepared on the content. Some exceptions from this occurred a few times where some signs of uncertainty in body language and speech were shown. In regard of this, most informants indicated that they had sufficient planning time; however, they could also have other tasks that took priority. Regarding the question why, many goals and purposes could be identified. The most common ones focused on information sources. Many informants, law texts and guidance documents emphasized the importance of getting knowledge about different types of materials, their advantages and disadvantages, using appropriate databases and to being able to search, evaluate and find information. The conclusions of the thesis are that the informants recognize and use many positive and working aspects that pedagogical literature and research says is important. Some examples are that they adapt the content in various ways to the students, let the students be active under the lessons, ask many questions, use evaluations and integrate guidelines. Regarding how the teaching could be developed, a conclusion is that it could be more adapted, advanced and more subject-specific if there was more time for librarians to teach and plan lectures. This could also contribute to a better relationship with the students, more time for collaboration with their teachers, being able to develop pedagogical methods and become familiar with the student’s subject. To achieve this, it could be appropriate that some librarians have a more dedicated role as well as prioritized tasks as library educators. This is a two years master's thesis in Library and information science.

Abstract Introduction. The aim of this thesis is to examine use of library didactics in two prominent national libraries. A second aim is to identify digital resources used in the digital library spaces. The study uses “the four-space model” to examine this relation.  Method. Document analysis is used to examine the two national libraries´ websites. In addition to the websites, affiliated sites like social media are also included. Categories from the four- space model are used: learning space, inspiration space, performative space and meeting space. Digital resources are identified and presented in each category respectively.   Theories. Library didactics, as developed by for example Jochumsen, Rasmussen and Skot- Hansen, is the subject of the thesis and main theoretical focus. The digital library rooms are seen as places for possibilities and for developing innovative library practices.  Conclusion. The results imply that of the four spaces, the smallest one is the performative space and that the activities for creating are few. Different social media are to a large degree used as meeting space and thus possibilities for meeting and participation are subject to the companies’ business models and policies. In relation to the visitors the two national libraries mainly use their collections as resources in the inspiration space. One clear example is Gallica, described as a digital library with focus on digitized documents.  In the learning space the format is primarily texts with illustrations and this could be seen as an attempt from the libraries to adapt to a traditional learning environment. Furthermore it is concluded that the search functions can be a hindrance to both the visitor and to the libraries´ objectives. In the discussion, a question concerning competences is raised in regard to innovative library didactics. This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

Library anxiety has been a concept since 1986, when Constance A. Mellon coined the phenomenon through her qualitative study on feelings that students experienced when interacting with academic libraries. In this essay we are looking at the origin of the concept through earlier research on the known barriers, trying to see what makes library anxiety unique compared to other seemingly related concepts, for example information anxiety. We’ve found many different concepts which can be part of library anxiety, or vice-versa, and many different extensions of LAS – the original scale to measure library anxiety. We aim to unravel some of those concepts we find of importance for library anxiety and its discourse. Looking at this through the lenses of Koselleck’s take on conceptual history, we see possible conflicts on where the concept library anxiety are heading; depending on what aspects of the concept the researcher read into and focusing on and in what context and time the articles were made. We also try to see who is considered responsible for shaping the discourse and if there is some kind of hegemonic struggle therein.