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LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

”En medelålders tant i roliga glasögon” : en kvalitativ studie om användares och icke-användares erfarenheter av och uppfattningar om folkbibliotekarien

Persson, Carolina LU and Terzic, Erna LU (2019) ABMM54 20191
Division of ALM, Digital Cultures and Publishing Studies
Abstract
The aim of this master's thesis is to gain knowledge about users and non-users views about the public librarian profession. By interviewing users as well as non-users of public libraries we want to examine similarities and differences in views between these two groups. We also want to examine how the views of these two groups can relate to stereotypes of the public librarian identified in previous research.

We have performed qualitative interviews with ten users and nine non-users. Professional theory and norm criticism theory is used as our theoretical framework.

The study shows that users and non-users have a traditional view of the librarian. Their perceptions relate to the stereotype “the old maiden” which is the oldest and most... (More)
The aim of this master's thesis is to gain knowledge about users and non-users views about the public librarian profession. By interviewing users as well as non-users of public libraries we want to examine similarities and differences in views between these two groups. We also want to examine how the views of these two groups can relate to stereotypes of the public librarian identified in previous research.

We have performed qualitative interviews with ten users and nine non-users. Professional theory and norm criticism theory is used as our theoretical framework.

The study shows that users and non-users have a traditional view of the librarian. Their perceptions relate to the stereotype “the old maiden” which is the oldest and most used stereotype in media. There is no major difference between users and non-users perception of the librarian, which we found surprising. Both users and non-users lack in knowledge about the librarians technological competence.

Users and non-users agreed on the importance of the library and librarian for the society. They were also aware of the library profession as a service profession.

Other images of the librarian we could distinguish that we did not find in previous research are that the librarian and the library are often linked together and share identity. We also found that the librarian profession is perceived as threatened and irrelevant.

With this study we have found that both users and non-users need more information about the library profession. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Persson, Carolina LU and Terzic, Erna LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
”A middle-aged woman in funny glasses” : a qualitative study about users and non-users experiences and views of the public librarian
course
ABMM54 20191
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Public librarian, public library, users, non-users, stereotypes, popular culture, norms, norm criticism, professional theory, professional identity, media, discourse, professionsteori, professionsidentitet, folkbibliotekarier, folkbibliotek, diskurs, stereotyper
language
Swedish
id
8978828
date added to LUP
2019-07-16 13:13:21
date last changed
2019-07-16 13:13:21
@misc{8978828,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this master's thesis is to gain knowledge about users and non-users views about the public librarian profession. By interviewing users as well as non-users of public libraries we want to examine similarities and differences in views between these two groups. We also want to examine how the views of these two groups can relate to stereotypes of the public librarian identified in previous research.

We have performed qualitative interviews with ten users and nine non-users. Professional theory and norm criticism theory is used as our theoretical framework.

The study shows that users and non-users have a traditional view of the librarian. Their perceptions relate to the stereotype “the old maiden” which is the oldest and most used stereotype in media. There is no major difference between users and non-users perception of the librarian, which we found surprising. Both users and non-users lack in knowledge about the librarians technological competence.

Users and non-users agreed on the importance of the library and librarian for the society. They were also aware of the library profession as a service profession.

Other images of the librarian we could distinguish that we did not find in previous research are that the librarian and the library are often linked together and share identity. We also found that the librarian profession is perceived as threatened and irrelevant.

With this study we have found that both users and non-users need more information about the library profession.}},
  author       = {{Persson, Carolina and Terzic, Erna}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{”En medelålders tant i roliga glasögon” : en kvalitativ studie om användares och icke-användares erfarenheter av och uppfattningar om folkbibliotekarien}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}