<p> </p><p>This bachelor’s thesis purpose is to examine how library staff experiences the meeting with non-Swedish speaking users of public libraries, and how they solve different situations. Today there is not much research on this subject but we find these questions important to study because we think it is good to be aware of the situations that can arise and discuss how to solve any problems. To have a basis for this qualitative study we conducted group interviews with library staff, where they are asked about their experiences with non-Swedish speaking users. In the analysis the results of the interviews are compared to previous research and related to communication theory, which is the theoretical framework for this study. In order to clarify how the barriers for communication affect the meeting a barrier model is applied.</p><p>After the analysis a discussion follows, where the term “non-Swedish speaking” is reasoned about, as well as the question whether it is possible to deal with all user groups equally. Finally the conclusions are presented. Our findings are among others that meeting with non-Swedish speaking users where the library staff has difficulties with understanding their intentions occur every day. Many of the informants believe that language can create barriers, which can lead to a meeting of poor quality. Body language is considered a great asset in communication when the verbal language is not enough. Additional solutions may be to cooperate with colleagues or other users in the library, but it is also important to be imaginative and flexible to make the communication work and to make the experience of the meeting as good as possible.</p><p> </p>

The aim with this thesis is to fill a knowledge gap regarding how young adults (20-25 year old) views and experience video games in libraries and how they feel libraries work and uses videogames. This because the problem lays in the fact that very few studies has been made regarding young adults and their experience and views with videogames. There have been studies concerning the libraries work, handling and views regarding young adults and videogames. The theory model use in this thesis is Jochumsen, Hvenegaard &amp; Skot-Hansens model that divides libraries into four spaces. Its use here is to see the functions videogames can have in the public library through young adults own thoughts and experiences on the matter. It was used together with a qualitative semi-structured group interview, with three groups and in total six informants. The results showed that while the informants viewed positive on videogames in the library it also showed the informants didn’t have a need for borrowing or using the videogames in the public library. In conclusion we can see that the social aspects are regarded highly but sorely missed according by the informants. More social factors may be of more interests. Borrowing videogames are not something the informants’ feelt they needed but they do view it as a positive function of the library. However a social activity that allows users to be able to meet and talk with likeminded about videogames felt the informants was maybe needed today more than just borrowing and/or playing videogames.

Syfte: Huvudsyftet med denna magisteruppsats är att genom diskursanalys av manga och intervjua bibliotekarier för att ta reda på vad manga innehåller för diskurser och teman; och sedan ta reda på om de bibliotekarierna som köper in manga reflekterar över vad de köper in. Metod: Två kvalitativa forskningsmetoder Slutsats: Manga är japanska serier och det har blivit ett populärt medium hos många barn och ungdomar på senare år. Mina studier visar att manga innehåller många olika diskurser, bl.a. diskursen om manligt/kvinnligt och många av dessa diskurser är vanliga i vår kultur också. Bibliotekariernas syn på manga är positivt, deras syn på manga kunde inte kopplas ihop med deras kunskaper om mediet. Låntagarnas förslag var det som påverkade inköpen mest, men det som också påverkade var innehållet av könssterotyper.

The purpose of this Master thesis is to examine whether there is a connection between distance to the schoollibrary and the extent to which teachers are using it as an integral part of their teaching. The study aims to answerif the physical distance to the school library is affecting teachers' ways of working with the library, if it affects thecollaboration between teachers and librarians and finally if teachers that are using a school library outside theschool premises are doing so less as an integral part of their teaching compared to teachers that have access to aschool library within the schools premises.The study is based on qualitative interviews with six teachers in the intermediate stage of the nine-yearcompulsory school, of which three have access to a school library within the school premises and three haveaccess to a school library outside the school premises. The two groups of teachers are compared in order to findout if there is a connection between distance to the school library and the usage of it. Loertscher's school librarymedia program and teacher taxonomy have been used as a theoretical framework.The study shows that the teachers who use a school library within the school premises have a bettercollaboration with the librarians than the ones who use a school library outside the school premises. The studyalso show that theese libraries are an integral part of the teaching to a higher degree. However, it is not shownbeyond doubt that the physical distance to the library is the determining factor for the teacher's results. Otherfactors, such as the fact that the school libraries outside the school premises at the same time are functioning aspublic libraries, may also have influenced the result.This is a two years master's thesis in Archive, Library and Museum studies.

Introduction. I report an investigation designed to identify the contemporary role of digital resources for information retrieval, such as Alex Author-dictionary. This study proposes that it is essential to see digital resources and their specific place within contemporary structures for information retrieval, that digital resources relate to a broader context. My focus is facts beyond giving patrons access to a specific type of information about authors. Method. This case study uses integration of qualitative content analysis from interviewees with data analysis. A pre-search interview and data-analysis along with follow-up interviews established some interesting perspectives on Alex Author-dictionary as well as aspects on digital resources for information retrieval. Transcripts of the interviews formed the data for analysis. Analysis. Qualitative analyses were carried out from two preparatory email-interviews, one with the editor and one with a person who writes for Alex. Another pre-search interview and two following interview sessions, one with a school librarian and another with a public librarian, were conducted. Results. It proved possible to demonstrate that Alex Author-dictionary as such has its benefits compared to sources from the internet. The results derive from and agree with some previous studies, especially that there is a where, when and how to use different resources. The web for example could advantageously give patrons access to other formats such as video interviews etc. that the library doesn’t hold. Conclusion. I identify a need to enlarge the scope of how patrons teach users. Users of all ages would be benefited from knowing when to use Google and when benefited using other digital resources of information retrieval. This sound awareness is directly related to users need to develop skills, and then interpret their own actual information literacy. This could take place either in sessions of user education at the library, or from teachers in a school environment.

This thesis examines the literature promotion towards adults in an established literary magazine. The basis for the study are the different surveys noting the decline in the populations reading and writing abilities. The aim of the thesis is to investigate the attitudes towards, and images of, reading and literature appearing i the magazine Vi Läser, from 2011 to 2015. The research questions are concerned with the beliefs and perceptions in regards to reading that Vi Läser convey, and what aspects of literature the magazine emphasizes. As a theoretical basis the critical discourse analysis as formulated by the linguist Norman Fairclough has been utilized. It is supplemented with Pierre Bordieus work on social differentiation and the theory of reading dimensions outlined by Sten Furhammar. A close reading has been applied to the selected issues of Vi Läser, whereby three dominant discourses has been made visible. These are termed ”the prestige discourse”, ”the utility discourse” and ”the pleasure discourse”. The studys findings are put in relation to the relevant discursive and social practices. The discursive practice examined is the realm of printed journals. This proved to be marked by a variety of approaches towards reading, and it was found that the discourses prevalent in Vi Läser constituted only a small selection of the mediated images of the activity. The social practice of interest is the realm of the public library. The findings illustrate a considerable congruence between the images of reading promoted in Vi Läser to that of official documents and reports. At the same time, it is stated that adults are a low priority in the context of the public library. Vi Läsers literature promotion is considered to have an important role to play in this regard. Finally, it is suggested that public libraries embrace Vi Läsers pleasure discourse in its literature promotion towards adults. This is a two years master’s thesis in Archive, Library and Museum Studies.

This master’s thesis in the field of library and information science deals with reviews written by first readers, to be considered by librarians in their selection process. My aim is to identify dislocations in relation to norms, with the help of two research questions: Which discursive dislocations can be seen in relation to norms concerning gender, sexuality, racialization on the one hand and literature, reading and the mediation of literature in a library context? Which positions are held by the first readers in relation to libraries and the public? Discourse analysis, as described by Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, functions as theory and method. The material is first reader’s reviews written in 1928 and 2013.I identify the discourse in 1928 as occupied with enlightenment and in 2013 with individualism. In 1928, first readers and librarians function as gatekeepers. They judge literature based on quality, suitability and moral. Popular genres are seen as lacking in quality and not always suitable for the public. Sexual content is tied to lacking suitability and bad moral, which is not the case in 2013, when the discourse focuses primarily on the public readers’ demands and reading acts. Reading is now regarded as entertaining, rather than educational. In terms of racialization, “culture” in 2013 has the same function as “race” in 1928 – that is, to establish difference and exotism. Gender stereotypes are questioned in 2013, but also used. The gatekeeper roles of first readers and librarians are weakened, but they still hold positions of power.

Sverige har sedan 90-talet arbetat med att se digitaliseringens möjligheter och styra samhället med dem som ledstjärna. I övergången till e-tjänstbaserade lösningar har dock inte alla samhällsgruppers behov tagits i åtanke, och utbildningen av befolkningen har varit något ojämn. Som en konsekvens har vissa hamnat i ett så kallat digitalt utanförskap, där vardagssysslor och informationstillgång inte tillgodoses eller försvåras när de analoga alternativen försvinner. Vissa vänder sig då till biblioteken för hjälp och stöd. Baserat på intervjuer och litteraturgenomgång gör vi en analys av de institutionella logiker som styr hur biblioteken har arbetat med digitaliseringen. Då folkbibliotekens uppdrag innefattar att se till sina besökares behov har de kompensatoriskt arbetat med att åtgärda avsaknaden av tillgänglighet och utbildning från andra myndigheter och verksamheter. Detta utökade uppdrag har under en lång tid gått obemärkt av de statliga och kommunala organ som finansierar dem. Det börjar dock förändras, genom att offentliga bibliotek via regeringsbeslut har tillägnats medel att användas för fortbildning av bibliotekarier inom digital kompetens. Bibliotekens arbete med digitala frågor har uppmärksammats under 2010-talet, men trots det ökade stödet finns det ett tydligt fortsatt behov av ett digitalt kompetenslyft och allmän IT-support.

This thesis contributes to the discussion on the use of library plans in public libraries in Sweden. Library plans were made mandatory 15 years ago, and the thesis’ aim is to further our knowledge about whether or not library plans of public libraries in Sweden are being used as an instrument of effectiveness or as something else. The study was carried out by applying qualitative document analysis to ten up-to-date public libraries’ library plans and by reviewing them through the lens of organizational theory. The goals in each library plan were compared to the public activities offered at the library in order to examine to what extent the public activities could be means to achieve the goals in the corresponding library plan. The results show that the ten library plans hardly functioned as an instrument of effectiveness. According to organizational theory, the goals could be considered to be of an official, symbolic, visionary and complex character, which made the analysis of the public activities as means to achieve the goals difficult to carry out. Goals of an operational, realistic or simple character, which according to the theoretical framework would imply the use of the plan as an instrument of effectiveness, were rare. Rather, the libraries seemed to use the plans for communicating their purpose and their importance to their external environment, which in turn implies that the plans were being used for attaining legitimacy.

Digitalization is spreading wide throughout society. The open, and free, internet equals new possibilities – but also difficulties regarding freedom of speech and development of democracy. According to research, an increasingly rougher tone of the debate may lead to people avoiding expressing their opinions; causing a polarization in the democratic conversation. This influence on the democratic development has become a social problem. According to Swedish library act, public libraries are to support free opinion formation and democratic development of the society. This study aims to examine the Swedish public libraries perception of responsibility regarding a sustainable web climate; based on the theoretical perspective of social responsibility. Based on a thematic analysis, from the results of five semi-structured interviews, it was evident that the public libraries were able to identify problems surrounding the web climate’s influence on freedom of speech and the democratic conversation. The majority of the respondents were also positive towards discussing sustainable web climate, in relation to the defined responsibilities of the public libraries. Still, none of the public libraries are currently involving sustainable web climate on any official or defined basis in their everyday work. Nevertheless, certain involvement of this topic may occur. In order include this task in their future activities, the public libraries inquire distinct guidelines and priorities from higher instance. The result of this study also illuminates that the problems surrounding the internet should be highlighted in a more distinct perspective of democracy.