Why is the public library necessary? A discourse analysis of a party pleading

The aim of this thesis is to identify and describe how the public library in Sweden is being argued for, according to the public debate. Why do we need the public library and in what way is it unique? What functions are being expressed as vital for the public library? What discourses are being expressed about the public library? These questions are answered by doing an discourse analysis of the book ”Folkbibliotekens framtid?” [The future of the public library?] (2010), edited by Roland Eliasson, where 19 persons closely connected to the library are interviewed. Foucaults discursive theory constitutes the methodical frame for this thesis, and by using terms from the discursive theory the analysis was made in four steps. Six major functions of the public libraries were identified from the interviews: improve literacy, book- and information intermediary, democratic role, educational role, culture centre and meeting place. With the help from keywords two major discourses were identified within the material: a book discourse and a community centre discourse. The conclusion of this thesis is that in many of the dis-courses, the library is described in a romantic old-fashioned way in contrast to the new approach where the library is described as a democratic meeting place. The writer of this thesis also find that the argumentation of the public library in these interviews are in some ways week. Further research could be to study what counterarguments exists in discourses against public libraries