Folkbibliotekets uppdrag : en ideologianalys

Abstract

This master’s thesis aims at examining and structuring different viewpoints concerning the assignments of the Swedish public library system. The method used is ideology analysis. The main questions are: what are the overriding goals connected to each of the different assignments? How are these goals motivated? By which means are the goals to be reached? And how does our analysis relate to earlier research on the assignments of the Swedish public library? The thesis can be said to consist of three main parts. Part one is a theoretical framework introducing the concept “ideology analysis” and the concept “schools of thought”. Part two is an examination of different documents regarding the public library and its assignments. Analyses of political documents such as the Library act and other documents, such as documents from the Swedish Library Association and from periodicals are included. Part three is the analysis. The examination in part two leads to the structuring of four sets of schools of thought, each with a slightly different view of what the public library should and should not do. The first school of thought focuses on the public library as a beacon for an open and democratic society. The second school of thought focuses on the public library as a mediator and promoter of reading, learning and language. The third school of thought puts the public library's strong connection to the education system and knowledge in general in centre. The fourth, and last, school of thought stresses the impact the public library is liable to have, and in some cases already has had, on the economical growth in a region.