Librarian’s perception of reorganization and centralized media acquisition : A case study of Bibliotek Uppsala

The aim of this thesis is to study how librarians at Bibliotek Uppsala perceive the reorganization that was implemented in 2015. The reorganization involved both a change in the organizational structure and a centralized media acquisition. The aim is also to see whether this reorganization changed the wellbeing in the work place, if the goals with the reorganization have been fulfilled and whether there was a resistance to the change that was implemented, and if so, how that resistance took shape. The main method for this study has been qualitative interviews with librarians at Bibliotek Uppsala. The findings show different views on the reorganization. Positive voices were raised concerning a closer and more direct contact with employees within the same unit. Negative voices on the other hand concern the lack of contact with employees outside the unit. A centralized media acquisition has made the process more efficient, both economically and through time saving. Librarians at Bibliotek Uppsala who no longer work with acquisition however experience a stress connected with the loss of contact with the media, connected to a reduction in literature knowledge. Another effect of the reorganization has been a more unified organization which is perceived as both something positive and something negative. It is a positive outcome for the organization as a whole but librarians working at the smaller libraries experience a loss in uniqueness of the libraries. The findings concerning wellbeing in the workplace are varied. Some librarians experience more stress while others see a clearer structure in the workplace. A stress in relation to different leadership roles is however pervading, caused by lack of communication. The goals of the reorganization have been partly met but lacking in some respects like developed cross-groups, more contact between co-workers and between managers and co-workers. There was a resistance to the change that was implemented in 2015. The resistance was cause by previous experiences, fear and how the change was being implemented. The greatest source of the resistance was connected with a lack of dialogue concerning the changes being implemented