Keyword for public libraries in the future : a comparison between two Swedish communities´information technology strategies

Our aim with this study has been to show the central factors that we consider have had animpact on public libraries in the "information society". We have studied two communities in the south of Sweden, Ronneby and Sölvesborg. These two communities have both started a development to the IT society, a society where information plays a great role, where the technique is the tool that supplies information.Ronneby community had early the aim to be the chief Swedish information center. A priority on information technology has therefore been obvious for them. Sölvesborg community has had another method and time schedule towards the IT society.We have been studying the documentation of aim and the strategy for IT development in different levels. We have carried out interviews where we were dealing with questions about documentation of aim, competence and evaluation.An investigation has been carried out among librarians and politicians just to get an apprehension of their knowledge in the IT development. The persons wbo are responsible of the IT system in the libraries, have filled in a checklist in order to give us an apprehension how the IT equipment has been changing during the last years