Public Library and refugees : A qualitative study of how librarians are working and perceive their role in the integration process

This bachelor thesis is a study of how librarians from five public libraries are working and perceive their role in the integration process. The purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of how librarians discusses about working with refugees. Qualitative interviews are used as a method to answer my questions and the theoretical framework was based on Jochumsen, Hvenegaard & Skot-Hansen´s "The four space" model, which sees the library as a meeting space, inspiration space, learning space and performative space. Five categories emerged from the empirical data about the librarians view of the library as a meeting place, the librarians supporting role in the integration process, the interaction between internal and external actors, media supplies and integrative activities. The analysis showed that especially three of the four categories based on The four spaces model were prominent; library as an inspiration space, learning space and meeting space. These three were discussed on the basis of an overall concept of the library as a living room. The least prominent category was library as a performative space. Respondents see their role in the integration process as a part of a democratic society, which means that the library is an open, public meeting place where people have access to information, learning and culture. Librarians highlighted three obstacles in their efforts in the integration process, which was about the lack of time, lack of resources and language skills