Det hälsofrämjande folkbiblioteket : en fallstudie av Göteborgs bibliotek och kulturhus hälsofrämjande arbete inom området psykisk hälsa
(2023) ABMM54 20231Division of ALM and Digital Cultures
- Abstract
- In 2021, the public libraries and cultural centers of Gothenburg received initiated a project named “The Healing Force of Literature” (Litteraturens läkande kraft), aimed at promoting mental health among young adults through library programming. It included educating library workers on the topic of mental health, as well as methods of bibliotherapy and shared reading. Such health promotional activities are rare in Swedish public libraries, and the project’s focus on mental health is unique. Against this background, this thesis aims to explore and analyze the mental health promotional projects of the libraries of Gothenburg from a perspective of organizational theory. Methodologically relying on qualitative semi-structured interviews, the... (More)
- In 2021, the public libraries and cultural centers of Gothenburg received initiated a project named “The Healing Force of Literature” (Litteraturens läkande kraft), aimed at promoting mental health among young adults through library programming. It included educating library workers on the topic of mental health, as well as methods of bibliotherapy and shared reading. Such health promotional activities are rare in Swedish public libraries, and the project’s focus on mental health is unique. Against this background, this thesis aims to explore and analyze the mental health promotional projects of the libraries of Gothenburg from a perspective of organizational theory. Methodologically relying on qualitative semi-structured interviews, the thesis explores how librarians relate the health projects to the Public Libraries Act of 2013 (Bibliotekslag 2013) and its task of promoting democracy. It also investigates how the health promotional activities have affected the social infrastructure of the libraries.
The thesis shows that the libraries primarily pursue mental health promotion through bibliotherapeutic reading groups around the city. Librarians view mental health promotion as an expression of the democratic mission formulated in the Public Libraries Act. Democracy and health are therefore considered as components of the same essence, and the health promotion is integrated into the existing social infrastructure of the libraries. Despite being positive to the projects, librarians express anxiety of their work becoming too clinical, outside of their perceived professional role and competence. In the final analysis, the health promotional activities, and professional insecurities they imply, reflect the broader legitimacy questions currently surrounding the library as a public institution. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9138544
- author
- Janson, Agnès LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- ABMM54 20231
- year
- 2023
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Libraries, Public Libraries, Librarians, Health promotion, Social infrastructure, Library law, Mental health, Gothenburg, Bibliotherapy, Shared reading, Bibliotek, Folkbibliotek, Bibliotekarier, Hälsofrämjande, Social infrastruktur, Bibliotekslag, Psykisk hälsa, Göteborg, Biblioterapi
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9138544
- date added to LUP
- 2023-11-08 20:49:04
- date last changed
- 2023-11-08 20:49:04
@misc{9138544,
abstract = {{In 2021, the public libraries and cultural centers of Gothenburg received initiated a project named “The Healing Force of Literature” (Litteraturens läkande kraft), aimed at promoting mental health among young adults through library programming. It included educating library workers on the topic of mental health, as well as methods of bibliotherapy and shared reading. Such health promotional activities are rare in Swedish public libraries, and the project’s focus on mental health is unique. Against this background, this thesis aims to explore and analyze the mental health promotional projects of the libraries of Gothenburg from a perspective of organizational theory. Methodologically relying on qualitative semi-structured interviews, the thesis explores how librarians relate the health projects to the Public Libraries Act of 2013 (Bibliotekslag 2013) and its task of promoting democracy. It also investigates how the health promotional activities have affected the social infrastructure of the libraries.
The thesis shows that the libraries primarily pursue mental health promotion through bibliotherapeutic reading groups around the city. Librarians view mental health promotion as an expression of the democratic mission formulated in the Public Libraries Act. Democracy and health are therefore considered as components of the same essence, and the health promotion is integrated into the existing social infrastructure of the libraries. Despite being positive to the projects, librarians express anxiety of their work becoming too clinical, outside of their perceived professional role and competence. In the final analysis, the health promotional activities, and professional insecurities they imply, reflect the broader legitimacy questions currently surrounding the library as a public institution.}},
author = {{Janson, Agnès}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Det hälsofrämjande folkbiblioteket : en fallstudie av Göteborgs bibliotek och kulturhus hälsofrämjande arbete inom området psykisk hälsa}},
year = {{2023}},
}