”Information is no easy thing” : A Case Study of Stockholm University Library’s information culture

The aim of this thesis is to examine the information culture at Stockholm University library. The thesis examines how information culture affects information management and if the information culture is different within the organization. In order to investigate whether there are differences, two groups were studied: one consisting of four individuals in leading positions and one consisting of four employees. The thesis is based on a qualitative case-study method, where interviews and documents are used as a method to collect data and to gain a deeper understanding of respondent’s values, norms and behaviours towards information. Davenport & Prusak’s theoretical model An Ecological Model for Information Management is used to study the organization as an ecosystem. The perspective on information management has been holistic, behaviour-oriented and human-centered. To gain knowledge about the information culture at Stockholm University library, Curry & Moore’s model The Evolution of Information Culture has been used. The model consists of six components suggested necessary for information culture to flourish. The six components have been used as a theoretical framework and analytical tool to examine the information culture at Stockholm University library. The thesis identifies weaknesses in the information culture at Stockholm University library. Results in the thesis illustrates cultural differences between the two groups, regarding how information should be handled in the organization in relation to how it is actually managed in practice. These findings further show that information management in the organization is not as efficient as it could be. Stockholm University library has recently undergone a major reorganization and change of management, aspects which have been taken into consideration as they could have effect on the results. This is a two years master’s thesis in Library studies