Censorship and limiting the collections : a study of how the libraries’ collections are restricted and the people wishing to do so

This bachelor thesis has as its aim to investigate theSwedish librarians’ views and opinions about censorshipof their libraries' collections as well as buildinginformation about the context of challenges against thesame collections. In Sweden the public can't, unlike in theUSA, formally challenge material and are forcedto”complain” the subject with a librarian. What is deemedas controversial, both by the public and by the librariansthemselves are explored through qualitative interviewswith six librarians.The librarian's find that they rarely experience anythingthat can be called aggression or organized protests likethose found in the USA. The main arguments against partsof the libraries' collections seem to come from parentswanting to protect their children against what they deem tobe ”unfitting” themes, such as sex or sexuality or worksdeemed undignified, such as collections of jokes. Thelibrarians themselves are against censorship as a whole,but are very restrictive about the libraries' collections ofelectronic media. Video games and movies have to pass avery stern checklist to be procured resulting in a meagerselection for the libraries' visitors, compared to theselection of literature or magazines.Program: Bibliotekari