Public libraries and integration : How personal relationships between users and library staff contribute to integration

There are more and more expectations of research that it will be able to "solve" society's problems. Library and Information Science (LIS) is also expected to contribute. One of the current topics that has been important in LIS research in recent years is integration. For this reason, the aim of this thesis in Library and Information Science is to examine the role of library staff in strengthening the integration process for the target group of adult immigrants. The emphasis is on how relationships are created at interactions in public libraries and how libraries are used as an arena for integration. The theoretical framework is based in the integration model by Ager and Strang, their ten core domains of integration process, and Social Capital’s theory. The method used is qualitative interviews with 7 library staff members in seven public libraries in small to medium-sized cities in Sweden. The interviews were recorded, except one which was conducted via e-mail, and the content was analyzed using a thematic content analysis through the theoretical framework. The result of this study show the kind of interactions that occur which can affect society and the individual’s level of social inclusion. The result support the assertion that public libraries have an important role to play in strengthening the integration of immigrant groups into society. The thesis show that library staff are a strong resource when it comes to achieving social interactions, and that the relationships created at public libraries helps support integration