Librarians’ perceptions regarding the social role of public libraries : a discourse analysis of professional library journals

The aim of this Bachelor’s thesis is to increase the knowledge of the professional discussion regarding the social role of public libraries. The empirical material consists of articles from Swedish professional library journals between 2010 and 2019. The study is designed as a discourse analysis using theoretical concepts by Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe. Librarians' perceptions of the social role have been analysed as well as discourses connected to the concept. Various perceptions of the social role were found and four different discourses were identified. In the discourse The uncertain core values the social role is seen as something fundamental which characterizes the idea of public libraries. The discourse The public library in the local community connects the social role to social responsibility and the strive for equalization of society through cooperation with local residents. The discourse The social meeting place describes the social role connected to the library as a place open for all and with possibilities to meet across social and cultural borders. In the last discourse The meaningful user meeting the social role is described as meetings with users. The user meetings in the daily library practice are described as highly meaningful. The different perceptions of the social role for public libraries found in the study illustrates the width of the concept. The perception that the public libraries are not doing enough regarding the social role is prominent within several of the identified discourses making this topic highly relevant.