The aim of this study is to look closer at collection development and the use of collection development policies in Swedish public libraries, with the help of a few examples. Through interviews with three librarians in three different public libraries and an analysis of these libraries? collection development policies, the authors try to find out how the creation of collection development policies takes place in these libraries, how these librarians use the policy, how these policies have been followed up and revised, and also to see what the policies of these libraries include. The material of the study suggests that a lot of work is required to write the policies, and that the written policy itself is seldom used by the librarians. The interviewed librarians still find the policies useful because the writing of them gave a detailed understanding of what the collection of the library contains.

For a school library to function as a support for the students? development of their academic abilities, it must provide material satisfying their needs as well as the needs of the teachers. The school library should assist the students in their research endeavours, as well as inspire reading for pleasure. In order to do this it is imperative that the school library actively develops the existing collection and continually strives to meet the needs of its users. The aim of this Master?s thesis is to describe and reflect upon how a particular school library works with collection development.

The aim of this study is to investigate methods of collection development, the users? influence on selection and quality aspects, focusing on non-fiction literature in Swedish public libraries. To find out opinions of collection development, I use the method comparative literature study. Antonio Gramsci?s concept hegemony forms the theoretical background, and hegemony as concept is related to a library context by using Maj Klasson?s text on the librarians? different positions of authorities.

Eftersom de tryckta tidskrifternas vara eller inte vara diskuteras inom biblioteksvärlden, ville jag göra en fallstudie, där jag utvärderade i vilken omfattning och vilka tidskrifter som nyttjas av kunderna. Jag valde ett förhållandevis litet bibliotek ? det i Vännäs ? dels för att få ett överskådbart material, men även då budgeten brukar var snävare på mindre enheter. Jag belyste nyttjandegraden ur såväl brukarnas synvinkel ? finns de titlar som de vill ha ? men även ur bibliotekets syn ? finns det tidskrifter som kan tas bort för att frigöra medel till annat? Utredningen syftade även att undersöka om det fanns någon klar skillnad på nyttjarna i avseende på kön och ålder.