What threatens public libraries? The viewpoints of library directors in Sweden

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -This article aims to identify threats perceived by Swedish public library directors as the most prominent. Design/methodology/approach -A web questionnaire was sent to public library directors in all of the Swedish municipalities. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings -The findings reveal that the main threat was considered to be the tension between the current activities of the public library and the expectations of the public, or of local decision makers. One reason for the lack of correspondence between activities and expectations is that public library managers regard the expectations on the public library as unrealistic. Another reason is that lack of resources prevent public library staff from meeting many of these expectations. Public libraries are thus prevented by both ideological and practical barriers in fulfilling expectations. Originality/value -A central issue in current public library research concerns how change in Western society affects public libraries. Many of these studies are either theoretical or based on interviews with politicians. Few researchers investigate how public library directors perceive the situation of public libraries today. Therefore, this article identifies perceptions made by public library directors.

Equipped for resistance: An agonistic conceptualization of the public library as a verb

“…This remark is actually valid at all levels of the organization. Managers are closest to the politicians, and research has shed light on the complexity of this relation (Evjen, ; Michnik, ). It is not surprising that research has shown that library managers emphasize “the importance of effective engagement with key decisions makers” (Goulding, Walton, & Stephens, , p.114).…”

Are We Throwing out the Books with the Bathwater?: Dilemmas over New Directions in Library Design

“…Predictions that the Internet and access to digital information would render libraries obsolete have thus far been unfounded (Gisolfi 2015;Dudley 2013;Latimer 2011;Worpole 2004). Nevertheless, the sands are shifting and embracing digital media is seen as crucial to maintaining the relevance and legitimacy of the library (Michnik 2014); reconceptualising services in line with the needs of the 21st century patron demands that libraries challenge convention (Carroll and Reynolds 2014). New library programmes include a broad spectrum of uses such as community facilities, creative and recreational spaces, health and well-being services, council helpdesks, gallery and museum spaces, cafés, cultural entertainment spaces, entrepreneurial start-up facilities and meeting rooms.…”

“…During 2010 Amazon reported that e-books had outsold both hardbacks and paperbacks (Dudley 2013), and between 2012 and 2014 sales of printed books dropped by six percent (BBC 2014). A 2011 study of perceived threats to public libraries in Sweden cited a decreased interest in reading and increasing availability of digital media as major concerns (Michnik 2014).…”

“…The fact that people express a preference for printed books for particular types of reading could help shape physical collections. Another way to maintain the appeal and relevance of library stock is to develop it in response to patrons' requests, as opposed to those of library staff (Michnik 2014); this reflects a broader trend towards more bespoke library services that are tailored to their particular mix of patrons (Worpole 2004). Although writing about research libraries in particular, Anderson (2011) predicts that acquisitions will become patron-driven, even for printed media, and that most print stock will be created at point of need rather than being acquired on the basis of predicted use.…”

Changing trends in Spanish library services: Conceptualization and measurement in official statistics

“…The nature and needs of library users have shifted, and information and communication technologies (ICTs) have had an impact on many technical and organizational areas, which are also associated with users’ needs and perceptions. Both of these factors have led to new roles and new areas for the public library and, consequently, to new expectations (Michnik, 2014).…”