• Public libraries as public sphere institutions: A comparative study of perceptions of the public library’s role in six European countries 

      Audunson, Ragnar Andreas; Aabø, Svanhild; Blomgren, Roger; Hobohm, Hans Christoph; Jochumsen, Henrik; Khosrowjerdi, Mahmood; Mumenthaler, Rudolf; Schuldt, Karsten; Rasmussen, Casper Hvenegaard; Rydbeck, Kerstin; Toth, Mate; Vårheim, Andreas (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-09-26)
      <i>Purpose</i> – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of public libraries as institutions underpinning a democratic public sphere as reasons legitimizing libraries compared to reasons that are more traditional and the actual use of libraries as public sphere arenas. <p> <p><i>Design/methodology/approach</i> – A survey of representative samples of the adult population in six ...
    • Social Reading and the Public Sphere in Nordic Public Libraries: A Comparative Study 

      Rydbeck, Kerstin; Johnston, Jamie; Pálsdóttir, Ágústa; Khosrowjerdi, Mahmood; Vårheim, Andreas; Audunson, Ragnar Andreas; Hvenegaard Rasmussen, Casper; Jochumsen, Henrik (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2022-10)
      <p><b> Introduction</b>. This paper presents research on how public librarians in Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden view the importance of social reading and related professional roles. <p><b> Method</b>. Previous research findings from a questionnaire administered to public librarians are analysed in depth in order to identify trends that can be further investigated in a subsequent qualitative ...
    • The Use of LAM-institutions in the Digital Age 

      Vårheim, Andreas; Juchumsen, Henrik; Rasmussen, Casper Hvenegaard; Rydbeck, Kerstin (Chapter; Bokkapittel, 2020)
      Amidst much speculation on the impact of digitalization, there have been no lack of visions for the future of libraries, archives, and museums (LAM institutions). Sometimes digitalization has been perceived as a useful tool for fulfilling the aims of enlightenment and free access to information and cultural heritage, and other times the digital development has been framed as a threat or game-changer ...