From means to an end to ends in themselves
An empirical study of the development of public library programmes in Denmark between 1960 and 2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7146/njlis.v1i2.121806Keywords:
Public libraries, Public library programs, Historical case study, Document study, Empirical study, Diachronic study, Library HistoryAbstract
Offering a variety of activities and events is considered a central part of many public libraries today. Under the term public library programmes, this article presents the findings from an empirical study of the development of publicly available and publicly announced activities and events offered within or in relation to Danish public libraries over a sixty-year period. The aim of the study was to enrich our understanding of these library services from a historical perspective focussing on describing development. Inspired by Historical Case Study (HCS), the study was designed as a diachronic analysis of a broad variety of empirical source materials collected from two case libraries, documenting programmes offered between 1960 and 2020, including interviews with programming librarians. From analysing the source materials, a development is described which shows that while the different types of programmes offered throughout the period have been somewhat consistent, their format and content have expanded in parallel with the expansion of the public library, its collections and services. At the same time, the reasoning behind offering programmes can be described as a development from programmes considered as a means to an end (e.g. education, publicity or community building) to programmes also considered as ends in themselves. By supporting and enriching the knowledge on programmes as services, this study provides an empirical foundation for discussions and debates about the role and function of public library programmes as part of the public library in the future as well as rich empirical examples for further research.
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Mathiasson, M. H., & Jochumsen, H. (2020). Between Collections and Connections: Analyzing Public Library Programs in Terms of Format, Content, and Role and Function. The Library Quarterly, 90(3), 364–379. doi:10.1086/708963
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Rasmussen, C., Jochumsen, H., & Skot-Hansen, D. (2013). Biblioteket som mødested: Sociologisk legitimitet og inspiration fra byplanlægningen [’The library as a meeting place’]. Nordisk Tidsskrift for Informationsvidenskab og Kulturformidling, 2(1), 51–59. doi:10.7146/ntik.v2i1.26061
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The State Inspection of Public Libraries (Bibliotekstilsynet). (1976). Folkebibliotekerne og deres virksomhed [‘The public libraires and their activities’]. Copenhagen: Bibliotekstilsynet.
Thorhauge, J. & the Library Agency (2002). Danish library policy, a selection of recent articles and papers. Copenhagen: Biblioteksstyrelsen.
Thorsen, L. (1992). De Danske Folkebiblioteker 1940-1983 [’The Danish Public Libraries 1940-1983’]. Ballerup: Dansk BiblioteksCenter.
Volf, A. (2018). Et meget levende bibliotek [’A very lively library’]. X-Klusiv Herning, 32, 112-116. Availible at: https://issuu.com/tinxdk/docs/x_herning_32_high
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Widdersheim, M. (2018). Historical case study: A research strategy for diachronic analysis. Library and Information Science Research, 40(2), 144–152. doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2018.06.003
Andersson, M. & Skot-Hansen, D. (1994) Det lokale bibliotek - afvikling eller udvikling. [‘The local public library – dismantling or developing’]. Copenhagen: Danmarks Biblioteksskole og Udviklingscenter for folkeoplysning og voksenundervisning.
Audunson, R. (2005). The public library as a meeting-place in a multicultural and digital context: The necessity of low-intensive meeting-places. Journal of Documentation, 61(3), 429–441. doi:10.1108/00220410510598562
Bichel, K. (director) (1970). Biblioteket – i dag og i morgen [‘The Library – today and tomorrow’] [documentary]. Denmark: Magica Film Production.
Danish Library Bureau (Bibliotekscentralen). (1965). Lov nr. 171 af 27. maj 1964 om folkebiblioteker m.v. [’Act no. 171 of May 27, 1964 on public libraries etc.’]. Ballerup: Bibliotekscentralen.
Herning Central Bibliotek (1967). Beretning 1965-67 [’Annual Report from 1965-67’]. Herning: Herning Central Bibliotek.
Herning Centralbibliotek (1969). Beretning 1. april 1967 til 31. marts 1969 [’Annual Report from April 1 1967 till March 31 1969’]. Herning: Herning Centralbibliotek.
Herning Centralbibliotek (1988). Biblioteksplan frem til år 2000 for Herning Kommune [’Library strategy for Herning municipality until 2000’], Herning Centralbibliotek.
HB. (1969). Et bibliotek er andet end bøger… [’A library is more than books…’]. Herning Bladet, September 17, 1969.
HB. (1979). Foreninger på biblioteket [‘Associations at the library’]. Herning Bladet, January 17, 1979.
HB. (1983). Børneteater i Bogbussen [‘The Book bus brings children’s theatre’]. Herning Bladet December 7, 1983.
HD. (1978). Herning Centralbibliotek et værksted med kulturelt sigte [‘The main library in Herning a workshop with a cultural aim’]. Herning Dagblad, November 11, 1978.
HD. (1979a). Plakatkonkurrence i forbindelse med ”Forår 1979” i Herning [‘Poster competition in relation to “Forår 1979” in Herning’]. Herning Dagblad, January 18, 1979.
HD. (1979b). Ny udstillingsform på biblioteket [’New exhibition format at the library’]. Herning Dagblad, January 20, 1979.
HD. (1979c). Hvem har lyst til at udstille i sommer? [’Who wants to exhibited this summer?’]. Herning Dagblad June 9, 1979.
HF. (1971). ”Undergrundsblade på biblioteket” [’Underground magazines at the library’]. Herning Folkeblad, January 1, 1971
HF. (1985). Film for børn og unge på biblioteket [’Movies for children and young people at the library’]. Herning Folkeblad August 22, 1985.
Jochumsen, H. & Rasmussen, C. (2006a). Oplysning i senmoderniteten [’Enlightenment in late modernity’]. In L. Emerek, C. Rasmussen & D. Skot-Hansen (eds.) Folkebiblioteket som forvandlingsrum [’The public library as a transformation space’] (pp. 13-23). Danmarks Biblioteksforening and Danmarks Biblioteksskole.
Jochumsen, H. & Rasmussen, C. (2006b). Bibliotekets brugere – fra klienter til forandringsagenter [’The library users – from clients to change-agents’]. In L. Emerek, C. Rasmussen & D. Skot-Hansen (eds.) Folkebiblioteket som forvandlingsrum ’The public library as a transformation space’] (pp. 41-52). Danmarks Biblioteksforening and Danmarks Biblioteksskole.
JP. (1972). Bøger, øl og hygge på biblioteket, [’Books, beers and hygge at the library’]. Jyllands Posten, November 25, 1972.
JP. (1973). Musikalsk medvær på centralbibliotek, [’Musical socialisation at the main library’]. Jyllands Posten, March 20, 1973.
Kann-Rasmussen, N., & Balling, G. (2015). Every reader his book – every book its reader? Notions on readers’ advisory and audience development in Danish public libraries. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 47(3), 242–253. doi:10.1177/0961000614532486
Kjær, B. & Ørum, A. (1992a). ”Forvandlingsbilleder og bibliotekskulturelle identiteter. 1. del: Refleksioner over og analyser af folkebibliotekernes indirekte formidling”, [’Transformation images and library-cultural identities. Part 1: Reflections on and analyses of the implied dissemination of public libraries’]. Biblioteksarbejde, 34, 33-43. doi:10.7146/bibarb.v0i34.106261
Kjær, B. & Ørum A. (1992b). ”Forvandlingsbilleder og bibliotekskulturelle identiteter. 2. del: Bearbejdning af besvarede spørgeskemaer”, [’Transformation images and library-cultural identities. Part 2: Processing of the survey results’]. Biblioteksarbejde, 34, 45-71. doi:10.7146/bibarb.v0i34.106262
Koefoed, I. (1967). Kulturcentre [’Cultural Centres’]. Ballerup: Bibliotekscentralen.
Mathiasson, M. H., & Jochumsen, H. (2020). Between Collections and Connections: Analyzing Public Library Programs in Terms of Format, Content, and Role and Function. The Library Quarterly, 90(3), 364–379. doi:10.1086/708963
Merriam-Webster (2020a, August 31). Synoptic. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/synoptic
Merriam-Webster (2020b, August 31). Extension. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extension
Merriam-Webster (2020c, August 31). Intentional. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intentional
Pedersen, J. (1971). Kulturelle arrangementer? [‘Cultural arrangements?’]. Bibliotek 70, 12, 328-331.
Rasmussen, C., Jochumsen, H., & Skot-Hansen, D. (2013). Biblioteket som mødested: Sociologisk legitimitet og inspiration fra byplanlægningen [’The library as a meeting place’]. Nordisk Tidsskrift for Informationsvidenskab og Kulturformidling, 2(1), 51–59. doi:10.7146/ntik.v2i1.26061
Take Away Biblioteket [‘The Take Away Library’]. (2020, August 31). Available at: https://www.herningbib.dk/take-away
The Secretariat for Legal Information (Retsinformation) (2013, January 30). Bekendtgørelse af lov om biblioteksvirksomhed legal information. Available at: https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2013/100
The State Inspection of Public Libraries (Bibliotekstilsynet). (1976). Folkebibliotekerne og deres virksomhed [‘The public libraires and their activities’]. Copenhagen: Bibliotekstilsynet.
Thorhauge, J. & the Library Agency (2002). Danish library policy, a selection of recent articles and papers. Copenhagen: Biblioteksstyrelsen.
Thorsen, L. (1992). De Danske Folkebiblioteker 1940-1983 [’The Danish Public Libraries 1940-1983’]. Ballerup: Dansk BiblioteksCenter.
Volf, A. (2018). Et meget levende bibliotek [’A very lively library’]. X-Klusiv Herning, 32, 112-116. Availible at: https://issuu.com/tinxdk/docs/x_herning_32_high
Widdersheim, M. (2017). Libraries and the circulation of power: a historical case study of Pittsburgh, 1924-2016, PhD Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 2017.
Widdersheim, M. (2018). Historical case study: A research strategy for diachronic analysis. Library and Information Science Research, 40(2), 144–152. doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2018.06.003
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Published
2020-11-24
How to Cite
Mathiasson, M. H. (2020). From means to an end to ends in themselves: An empirical study of the development of public library programmes in Denmark between 1960 and 2020. Nordic Journal of Library and Information Studies, 1(2), 34–52. https://doi.org/10.7146/njlis.v1i2.121806
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