The purpose of this study is to examine if digital public libraries are serendipitous environments. Serendipity in this instance is defined as finding something unexpected and valuable, while searching for something else. A survey was conducted at two Swedish digital public libraries, where the patrons were asked to fill in a questionnaire online. The questions were based on the work on serendipitous digital environments by Lori McCay-Peet, as well as considerations of human factors that could possibly influence serendipity. The result indicate that a majority of patrons experience serendipity at the digital library, although it’s still more common to do so at the physical library or on other web sites. The result also confirms the importance of taking human factors into account when studying serendipity. The patrons who said they didn’t experience serendipity at the physical library or on other web sites, didn’t experience it at the digital library either – or at least only partially. However, the patrons who didn’t experience serendipity at the digital library still did so in other environments. A digital library is an environment with many possibilities for serendipitous encounters and discoveries, but what is missing is a better understanding of how serendipity can actually help in finding information. By teaching patrons to actively seek out serendipity, and by offering a serendipitous digital environment in which to do so, the library can further information literacy in our society.

Introduction. Studies have been conducted on serendipitous encounters in the physical library environment. In this study, we aimed instead to look at features in the online library catalog that can lead to serendipitous en-counters. The aim was also to see if libraries took active steps to promote serendipity in their online library cata-logs. Method. A heuristic evaluation of four online library catalogs was conducted. The set of heuristics used was based on previous research, with the aim of identifying facets of a serendipitous environment. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with librarians from three of the researched libraries. The results from the heuristic evaluation and the transcripts of the interviews formed the data for the analysis. Analysis. Thematic analyses were carried out on the data. The data from the heuristic evaluation and the interviews were analyzed and presented separately, leading up to a joint summary. Results. Most of the online library catalogs had features like "Similar items" and book recommendations, which can lead to serendipitous encounters. Librarians often experience a lack of influence over their online library catalogs. Librarians identified problems such as patrons expecting their online library catalog to function more like a web search engine, for example, Google Search. Conclusion. The online library catalogs have features that promote serendipitous encounters but we identified problems in how they are best designed. Using an integrated interface for the online library catalog and the library's website was one way to give the librarians more influence over their interface, which increased their likelihood to provide it with more information and content. We suggest further research with an extensive approach of serendi-pitous encounters not only in the online library catalog but also in other digital library environments such as web-sites, social media, blogs and apps. This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

The human being and her behavior is complex. Research has shown serendipity and chance to play a great part in the scientific research praxis, still the complexity of human information retrieval is not fully acknowledged in modern libraries. This master thesis compares two different worldviews; the mechanistic and the organic. This in order to understand why information seeking today is increasingly linear when human information behavior is not. The way people believe the world to work reflects on how libraries and information seeking work. The mechanistic worldview, comparing the world to a machine, is rooted in humanity since the seventeenth century and is still shaping our world and institutions. Today databases and linear searches are pushing physical books off shelves to make room for computers and searching on limiting linear mechanical terms instead of complex human ones. This pattern often occurs without adequate questioning and online information is argued to be even more available to patrons than the physical library.  This thesis uses complexity theory and philosophical method to broaden perspectives and question linear searches in scientific information retrieval. It aims to highlight the importance of complex information retrieval and physical browsing for scientific innovation and creativity. Erdelez's original information encountering method was used to obtain source material for philosophical analysis. Philosophical method and complexity theory is used throughout the text to analyze the linear worldview leading up to a joint argumentative summary at the end of every chapter bringing the text forward.  The thesis contains a field study with semi-structured interviews with librarians at the Picture Collection, New York Public Library. This highlights the value of physical browsing through the strong criticism that arose from patrons when the library wanted to archive the unique and browsable research collection.  The result of the thesis argues that the linear technological development in libraries with less physical collections, librarian encounters, passive information gathering and random information paths without underlying commercial drivers create more like-mindedness instead of innovation. This significantly reducing the possibility of interdisciplinary discoveries. A technical development that at an alarming rate shifts information from being sought by people, to people being sought by information.  This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

What does inspiration mean to creative amateurs? Inspiration as a concept has been hard to define in information science terms. Several theories of information-seeking behavior have also been proposed to be applicable to inspiration-seeking, but have not seen empirical testing. While previous researchers on inspiration have mostly focused on artists and designers, this essay has studied amateurs and makers engaged in creative hobbies. Based on a survey distributed to study circles organized under Swedish adult educational associations, the grounded theory analysis indicated that inspiration is important as a feeling of motivation, joy, well-being and productivity, a source of ideas, and a driving force in the creative process. The results of the survey also showed that more passive information-seeking strategies, such as serendipitous encounters, browsing, and social interaction, were more commonly associated with finding inspiration than active strategies, such as systematic searches and question-based seeking, within the group. The responses showed that the respondents’ perceptions of inspiration were somewhat idiosyncratic, and future research based on individual or focus group interviews would be needed to explore the more ambiguous concepts and answers gleaned in this study. This is a two years master's thesis in Library and information science.