“Growing and sharing together”: A case study of the social impacts of libraries of things towards community-based scaling
(2024) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20241LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
- Abstract
- Libraries of things (LoTs) have potential to create positive environmental and social impact. However, not enough is known about their social impact, especially as LoTs scale. This thesis studies the case of Circle Centre (CC), a LoT in Lund, Sweden and analyzes the social impact of LoTs through interviews and a survey. After understanding the social impact, participants in a participatory qualitative interview workshop explore through drawing and discussion, how impacts will look in future LoTs. The results indicate that LoTs provides positive social impacts, but the extent varies among stakeholders. LoTs need to prioritize physical space, grow connections between community members, adjust to local contexts, and collaborate with external... (More)
- Libraries of things (LoTs) have potential to create positive environmental and social impact. However, not enough is known about their social impact, especially as LoTs scale. This thesis studies the case of Circle Centre (CC), a LoT in Lund, Sweden and analyzes the social impact of LoTs through interviews and a survey. After understanding the social impact, participants in a participatory qualitative interview workshop explore through drawing and discussion, how impacts will look in future LoTs. The results indicate that LoTs provides positive social impacts, but the extent varies among stakeholders. LoTs need to prioritize physical space, grow connections between community members, adjust to local contexts, and collaborate with external stakeholders as they scale, all of which requires thinking beyond loaning operations. As a result, LoT leadership, funders, and societal collaborators can better understand the social impact of LoTs and how to maintain social impact while scaling. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9153170
- author
- Lahey, Sophia LU
- supervisor
-
- Maja Essebo LU
- organization
- course
- MESM02 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Social Innovation, Sharing Economy, Libraries of Things, Scaling, Social Impact, Sustainability Science
- publication/series
- Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
- report number
- 2024:009
- language
- English
- id
- 9153170
- date added to LUP
- 2024-05-27 10:07:57
- date last changed
- 2024-05-27 10:07:57
@misc{9153170, abstract = {{Libraries of things (LoTs) have potential to create positive environmental and social impact. However, not enough is known about their social impact, especially as LoTs scale. This thesis studies the case of Circle Centre (CC), a LoT in Lund, Sweden and analyzes the social impact of LoTs through interviews and a survey. After understanding the social impact, participants in a participatory qualitative interview workshop explore through drawing and discussion, how impacts will look in future LoTs. The results indicate that LoTs provides positive social impacts, but the extent varies among stakeholders. LoTs need to prioritize physical space, grow connections between community members, adjust to local contexts, and collaborate with external stakeholders as they scale, all of which requires thinking beyond loaning operations. As a result, LoT leadership, funders, and societal collaborators can better understand the social impact of LoTs and how to maintain social impact while scaling.}}, author = {{Lahey, Sophia}}, language = {{eng}}, note = {{Student Paper}}, series = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}}, title = {{“Growing and sharing together”: A case study of the social impacts of libraries of things towards community-based scaling}}, year = {{2024}}, }