People of various cultural and linguistic backgrounds seek refuge in Sweden. Policy documents for public libraries state that prioritized areas of operation are children and young people, but also cultural and linguistic diversity. In recent years, the spatial aspects of library buildings have been the subject of major research, especially in Scandinavia. The purpose of this study is to broaden knowledge of how public libraries can design spaces by considering diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In this study, library spaces for children and young people are researched. The methods applied in this research were semi-structured interviews with librarians; observations in library spaces for children and young people in three public libraries in Västra Götaland, Sweden; and a review of policy documents from these public libraries. The theoretical framework for this research is Hans Elbeshausen's and Peter Skov's "Public libraries in a multicultural space: a case study of integration processes in local communities." Elbeshausen and Skov describe the transnational: how people are linked to two or more cultures. This was the theoretical foundation for the transnational screen, a tool for analysis, in which support of multiculturalism and integration would promote a sound transnational. This tool was used to analyze the results of the observations. Findings indicate that public libraries already support both multiculturalism and integration, which means public libraries also reinforce transnationalism. Using the transnational screen for analysis facilitates practical suggestions for improvement in the operation of public libraries.

The essay examines the expression ”bildung” (”bildning” in Swedish) in relation to book circles. The essay argues that the definition of bildung is not constant. The essay puts the expression in different historical contexts. With empirical evidence, the meaning of the expression can be investigated. A survey has been conducted in the form of four qualitative interviews. The public libraries' goal of promoting interest in bildung can be examined by analyzing the reasoning of the informants. The purpose of the essay is to examine the circle participants' perception of literary bildung and the librarians' goals for literary bildung. The purpose is also to compare the librarians' goals with the circle participants' perception of bildung. A model extracted from Judith Langer's theories is used as the analytical method. The results show that literary bildung is something the participants experienced in that the circle helped them understand others and make things more human. It is also argued that the circle provides tools for them to define and redefine themselves and others. They have not experienced to the same extent that the circle helps them find themselves or that it challenges them intellectually.

The prevalence of rainbow flags and rainbow shelves, shelves with LGBTQ literature, makes one wonder if it is a sign of a seemingly ubiquitus LGBTQ-knowledge among librarians at public libraries. My thesis is a theme-based analysis using knowledge management as theory with the aim to capture how libraries mangage their LGBTQ-knowledge and why they do it in these certain ways. After categorizing the data according to the SECI-model I found that a certain way of managing knowledge is used in excess by the librarians I interviewed. The SECI-model describes it as ´socialisation´ which means to use tacit knowledge and creating new tacit knowledge. In my analysis of why that is the case it becomes apparent that the managing of LGBTQ-knowledge is a responsibility taken by individual librarians with interest in the LGBTQ-question. With what seems to be insufficient support by the management it is up to the individuals to manage LGBTQ-knowledge through ´socialization´ which is a fast and effective way of transferring knowledge.

The main purpose of this thesis is to investigate how the societysystem in Austria has influenced the library system. The aim is toanalyse in what way these influences have changed during thegrowth and development of the public library system and how it isdisplayed in each separate library branch. The focus of myinvestigation has been the municipality public libraries in Vienna,and mainly the three libraries in the third district of the city. Themethod I have used is literature studies, examining and analysingsource material from the internal archive of the public libraries inVienna. I have also used the qualitative interview method in orderto examine the situation in the selected libraries Rabengasse,Erdbergstraße and Fasangasse.As there is no common library law, there are significantdifferences in the library structure in different parts of Austria andeach municipality decides how they want to prioritize the libraries.Since the public libraries of Vienna are well organized together inBüchereien Wien, the library structure in the separate librarybranches is coordinated. My study shows that the Austrian societylargely has influenced the library development and librarystructure. The influences of the society system can bedistinguished in the late development from a closed-shelvessystem into a system of open shelves in the public libraries ofVienna. The ideas of the librarians in the workers library in linewith Walther Hofmann´s remained into the seventies (1970). Thishas influenced the work in the separate libraries. It has shown thatlong decision-making processes have affected the librarydevelopment and work. / Program: Bibliotekarie

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the reason behind thedecision to open libraries at subway stations in Stockholm.The theoretical framework for the study is Douglas Raber´s threeideologies, social activism, conservative response and populistinitiative. The study includes interviews with librarians and apolitician responsible for the service and documents with plansfor the Public Libraries development during the period. Theempirical material was examined with an idea- and ideologicalanalysis.The conclusion is that the concept of the subway libraries consistsof a combination of the three ideologies but the most evidentare those of populist initiative and social activism.The reason for opening libraries at subway stations is to makethe libraries more easily accessible, to attract new visitors and tomake the Public Libraries service more visible. These smalllibraries have a function as a market place for the Public Librariesand as a meeting place in the city. / Program: Bibliotekarie

This essay focuses on strategies for acquisitions in Swedish publiclibraries. The topic has been occuring in the public debate off andon since the70s. The dominant view has been that librarians haveallowed demand direct the purchases of media and thus haveignored quality literature.This debate has caused me to reflect on the librarians constantdilemma when purchasing media. Are they supposed to chooseliterature that are in demand, or should an evaluation made bylibrarians be the decisive?The previous research has shown that the library profession istraditionally characterized by a non-judgmental approach. It alsosuggests that librarians rather talk about their informationintermediary role than their work with acquisitions.My theoretical problem is a somewhat provoking hypothesis thatlibrarians are reluctant to appear as arbiters and that this can havea direct or nondirect impact on acquisitions.My purpose with this paper is to study which one of the selectioncriteria; demand, quality or professional competence is the mostdominant in the texts, an also how the acquisitions are organized.As source material I use collection development policies.From the result of the investigation I conclude that demand is thedominant selection criteria. Thus it is the patron who is put at thecenter, rather than quality and the librarian´s expertise regardingacquisitions. The competence of the librarian is however mentionedin the acquisition process, sometimes in an indirect way, but it isnot highlighted in the texts.I therefore argue that there is evidence to suggest that librarians asprofessionals do not want to emphasize their role as arbiters andthat it affects the media selection in Swedish public libraries. / Program: Masterprogram: Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap, distansutbildning

This master deals with the theme youth and public libraries. The essay is based on observationsand qualitative interviews with young people at the ages of 13 to 16 years old, whovisited the public library of Skara, employees at the library, and politicians in the community.The main issue in the study is; what is and what can be done to increase youth utilization ofpublic libraries. I have emphasized on the media stock, the organization of books, theenvironment and the staff of the library, marketing, specific target group, activities, andcooperation with both internal and external forces.Theories about youth culture and some projects concerning young peoples behaviour in librariesare also presented.

The purpose of this study is to examine and explain why three Swedish public libraries failedin their ambition to act as information services for small and medium-sized firms (SMF). To support this purpose two major assumptions are made:1) Public libraries who plan to run this kind of "business" must act with the same means as "professional" services.2) The service must be adjusted to the information needs of the customer.Based on these assumptions sixteen factors which are crucial to the "success" for this kind of service are presented.Applied to the information services of Lidkoping, Sölvesborg and Västervik, these factors reveal a number of shortcomings and mistakes made by the libraries.To understand this result these information services are seen as parts of a traditional Swedish public "library-thought". It is shown that, fundamental ideas in the way the public libraries are defined, like the responsibility to act in a neutral and democratic way, also characterised the three information services.These ideas together with the opinion of SMF as a "rational" information-consumer resulted in information services who did not meet the information-needs and information-behaviour of SMF.

The purpose of this bachelor thesis was to gain a deeper understanding of and examine how library blogs are realized at public libraries together with the views among librarians regarding the realization of library blogs.The questions we wanted to answer were: – How is the library blog realized at the public libraries in this study? – What are the views among the librarians in this study regarding the realization of the library blogs?The analytical model in this thesis is Connie Crosby’s six steps on how libraries successfully can realize their blogs. Four of the six steps were selected: planning, implementation, marketing and measures of success. The methodology used for this study was semi-structured interviews. Two interviews were conducted with three librarians that have partial responsibility of their respective library blogs.The results of the study show that the process of the library blog can look different in different libraries, and that the respondents had clear views on how the realization of a blog should be done. An improvement in both of the library blogs could be made by a better dialogue between the librarians. Together they should, formally, discuss, motivate and document problems, opportunities and visions with the blog. Development and improvement can also occur if the librarians in the realization of the blog perform a more fundamental study on the target audience, marketing and other key features of the blog. / Program: Bibliotekarie

The purpose of this thesis was to figure out the feelings that librarians felt towards the e-books at the library. And if it affects their work at the library, especially from a financial point of view. The reason I decided to do this study is because the subject of e-books has become bigger in the last couple of years, and that I got the feeling that the librarians didn’t like them that much. So I did six interviews with six different librarians from different libraries to see if they felt the same thing or if they are in fact positive towards them.The results I received from my study were that the librarians are positive to the e-book. However, they were still worried about the financial situation for example regarding the budget. I compiled the results in to four different strategies, they are in short: Firstly; the libraries are positive to the e-book. Secondly; the library is hopeful to use the e-book to increase reading for people who are struggling with reading. Thirdly; they have a close collaboration with other municipality’s and fourthly; they are welcoming the future and are exited what it will bring. / Program: Bibliotekarie