"De är ett väldigt nyfiket släkte, barnbibliotekarierna". En kvalitativ undersökning av hur 1990-talets samhällsförändringar påverkat barnbibliotekariernas arbetsuppgifter, kvalifikations- och fortbildningsbehov

Abstract

The purpose of this master thesis is to investigate what the work situation of children's librarians looks like in the year 2000, after the changes in society which took place since the 1980's. Did the tasks of children's librarians change during the nineties, and if so, in what way and why have they changed? Which new knowledge needs emerged for children's librarians during the nineties, and what was the cause of these new needs? Finally I want to know which needs for professional development arose, and how these needs are fulfilled. The thesis is based on qualitative interviews with children's librarians, library managers, library consultants, one representative of the Swedish school of Library and Information Studies and one member of SAB's children and youth committee. The study reveals that the identity of children's librarianship is strongly associated with the stimulation of language and reading. The identity of children's librarianship is not as strongly associated with the dissemination of information. Together with the fact that the contents of the Internet might be interpreted as immoral and difficult to control this may explain that many children's librarians feel dubious about the development of information technology. Information technology and pedagogy are the foremost needs for professional development according to my interviewees. The children's librarians take part in a lot of professional development courses. However, economical restrictions and the fact that children's librarians have too much to do are mentioned as obstacles.