The public library as a meeting‐place in a multicultural and digital context

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of the paper is to develop an improved conceptual framework for researching and discussing the public library's role as a meeting-place in a multicultural and digital society. Design/methodology/approach -The development of today's Western societies from societies dominated by one cultural canon, and where the role of the public library is to give the public access to that canon, into societies where a multitude of cultural expressions and values are tolerated and appraised, is summarized. This development is linked to the digital revolution, which opens up for increased communication but might increase a development where people live in segregated cultural niches without being exposed to other values and interests. The general challenge of creating meeting-places with a potential of promoting that degree of cross-cultural communication which a community presupposes is presented. Theory and research on meeting-places and arenas for community communication are presented. Findings -The concepts of high-intensive versus low-intensive meeting-places are developed. High-intensive meeting-places are those arenas where people invest their primary engagement, whereas low-intensive meeting-places are arenas where one is exposed to the values and interests of others. The role of low-intensive meeting-places in promoting tolerance and community is discussed, and the public library's potential as a low-intensive meeting-place is analyzed. Research limitations/implications -Empirical research based on the concept of high-intensive and low intensive meeting-places should be undertaken. Practical implications -The concept of low-intensive meeting-places has practical consequences for public librarianship. Some of these are specified in the paper. Originality/value -The paper develops a new concept that might prove fruitful for research as well as for practical librarianship.

Archives, libraries and museums in the Nordic model of the public sphere

“…But, as already pointed out, the public sphere is just as much about inclusivity and social solidarity (Alexander, 2006), as it is about rational deliberation (Habermas, 1992, Habermas, 1989, and public libraries play a particularly important role in creating and promoting such an inclusive public sphere, through being low-intensive meeting places (Audunson, 2005) for a wide range of citizens. Such a civil public sphere depends on arenas where citizens can learn about national history, and be exposed to majority and minority perspectives on the nation's history and cultural practices (Tisdel, 2017).…”

“…Furthermore, in Norway national policies on public libraries have over the last years emphasized the meeting place function of libraries (Kulturdepartementet, 2015), urging public libraries to further develop this aspect of their work. Being perceived as low-intensive and inclusive arenas public libraries are important for teaching citizenship and prolonging social solidarity, especially in multicultural urban areas (Audunson, 2005, Fagerlid, 2016.…”

How do public libraries function as meeting places?

“…A Norwegian historian of ideas maintains that one of the important values of newspapers and libraries is that they expose their users to the complexity of values and interests in the world, forcing them to reconcile themselves with that complexity (Eriksen, 1988). Such arenas are called low-intensive meeting places, as opposed to the high-intensive meeting places where people live out their primary involvements and life projects (Audunson, 2005). People who share interests and values -whether they sing in a choir, support the same football club, share religious or political views-tend to find each other.…”

Baby boomers, their elders and the public library

“…This tension between the physical (Oldenburg, 2007) and the virtual has been one impetus behind a recent focus for scholarly research into library-as-place (Audunson, 2005;Buschman and Leckie, 2006;Given and Leckie, 2003;McKechnie et al, 2004;Most, 2011). "Place" takes its meaning from this humanistic definition (Osburn, 2007): [.…”

“…These demographic changes prompt a re-assessment of all aspects of public library services but perhaps most immediately from the perspective of the public library-as-place in all of its physical, digital, psychological, spatial, private and public experiential uses (Aabo and Audunson, 2012;Audunson, 2005;Black, 2011;Buschman and Leckie, 2006;Evjen and Audunson, 2009;Given and Leckie, 2003;McKechnie et al, 2004McKechnie et al, , 2007Most, 2011). Given the ongoing debates surrounding the future of the public library in this digital age and given recent political and fiscal pressures on many communities to re-structure or close public libraries particularly in the UK where a public inquiry on library closures has been initiated [1], additional perspectives on the changing conceptualization and practices of the public library-as-place are needed.…”