Conceptions of Integration : A study of 16 swedish library policies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways in which Swedish library policies embed the requirements regarding people with a mother tongue other than Swedish and the Swedish minority languages, specified in the Swedish library law. The research questions were: What services do public libraries offer people with a mother tongue other than Swedish? What conceptions of the library’s possibilities to work with integration do the library policies mediate? Are there any differences regarding how integration is worked with in municipalities that are high in numbers of foreign born inhabitants, compared to those municipalities that are low in numbers of foreign born inhabitants? In order to answer these queries a sample of library policies from 16 municipalities were chosen by amount of foreign born inhabitants. Eight were chosen with high numbers, and eight with low numbers. These policies were analysed using discourse analysis and two theories: Ragnar Audunson’s theory regarding high- and lowintensive meetingplaces, and Robert D. Putnam’s theory regarding bonding and bridging as two ways to build social capital. The study showed that the services offered to people with a mother tongue other than Swedish and the Swedish minority languages, were mainly centered around an expanded collection of media in foreign languages, language cafés, library viewings, and providing an open meeting place. The most common conceptions of the library’s role in integration were the conception of the library as a meeting place, and the conception of increasing multi language in the collection and in the cooperation with other actors and organisations. The differences found between municipalities with a high number of foreign born inhabitants, in comparison to those with low numbers, were marginal, and possibly caused by other factors than those mentioned above. It was clear that next to all library policies expressed a view of the library as a lowintensive meeting place in accordance with Audunson’s theory. It was also found that both concepts of Putnams’ bonding and bridging, were applicable to the activities that suppousedly are to take place in these libraries. Hence, the library ought to be an excellent place for people to build social capital