“The public library’s functions in the local society” : An idea analytic study of four library plans

The aim of this master thesis is to investigate the ideas about functions that public libraries have in the local society. We have used the method idea analysis on four municipal library plans, to find out which ideas about library functions that frequented each plan, and what similarities and differences there were between the ideas about functions in each plan. As a theoretic base, we have used a theory about three dynamic spheres in modern society: the state market and civil society, and examined how these three spheres influence and control the library functions. We have extracted six different ideas about library functions: educational, social, economical, entertaining, serving and democratic functions. The most dominating ideas in this study are ideas that the public library should be an educating and formative institution. As the public library is a public institution depending on the state, are the most ideas of functions connected to this sphere. We can also see a tendency that the public library is a service institution that acts on the demands from users and other authorities in society. This can be a result of influence from the market, just as ideas that the public library should be engaged in economic development, though this idea is scarce in the documents analysed. The civil society is mostly represented in the social ideas, that the public library is a public meeting place and a room for recreation and entertainment. We have found these ideas in all plans but as these are of a more voluntary character are they not as visible.Uppsatsnivå: