Does the freedom of information apply to delinquents? : A text analysis of Swedish prison libraries in library and information science journals

Does the freedom of information apply to delinquents? According to Swedish law, prisoners and detainees should have access to library services comparable to public libraries. However, this is not the case since there is specific literature not allowed in prison. Interestingly, The Swedish Library Act (2013:801) states that the library’s task is to promote the development of a democratic society by openness to various perspectives, i.e. no censorship or other obstructive measures. This Bachelor’s thesis aims to analyse how Swedish prison libraries are portrayed in journals from the library and information sector by identifying different discourses in articles. The library and information profession have long been characterised by traditions of fairness, open inquiry, service and humanism. These traditions also form social justice theory in library and information science. By identifying discourses related to fairness, open inquiry, service and humanism in articles written in journals from the library and information sector, this Bachelor’s thesis illuminates attitudes toward prison libraries’ media collections and rehabilitative purposes. It is shown that Swedish prison libraries’ media collections are portrayed as restricted and censored, which according to discourses related to fairness, open inquiry, service and humanism, have a negative impact on rehabilitative measures as well as maintaining the freedom of information