Alternativ hylluppställning: en undersökning av hylluppställning och biblioteksmiljö på Västerviks stadsbibliotek.

Abstract

The purpose of this Masters thesis has been to study the changes made in shelf arrangement and library environment in a Swedish public library. The aim was to examine the reasoning done by the library staff regarding classification, the Swedish classification system SAB and changes in library environment. The basis of our study were three questions: 1. Why has Västervik public library made changes in the shelf arrangement? 2. What changes were made by the library and how did the changes affect the library environment? 3. Has it worked as planned according to the librarians? The study was carried out at Västervik public library in the spring of 2002. The library staff was interviewed and the shelf classification and library environment were examined. The reason for the changes was a desire to make the library more user-centred and user-friendly. According to the librarians, the users found the Swedish classification system SAB difficult to understand and to use. In an effort to help the users, changes were made in the shelf arrangement and in the library environment in 1992. The librarians perceptions are that the users were positive to, and have been helped by, the changes, but no user-study has been made by the library to confirm that view. The changes made in Västervik were compared to classification theories and to theories and practices in the area of alternative shelf arrangement.