Arena för ungt skapande. Hur biblioteket tar till vara unga människors kulturuttryck
exemplet Demoteket
KulturförmedlingFolkbibliotekKreativitetUngdomsforskningUngdomskulturUngdomsprojektUngdomsverksamhetDemoteketHumanitiesHumanioraSocial sciencesSamhällsvetenskaperSocial Sciences
The aim of this Master's thesis is to explore the function of public libraries as arenas for young people's artistic creations. It examines how the public library makes activities based on independent creativity visible, and what activities of this sort imply to the public library. The thesis also relates this to the public library's task in society. The main object of examination is Demoteket, an on-going project in the south-eastern parts of Sweden. In this project Länsbibliotek Sydost co-operates with Reaktor Sydost, a centre of resource in the fields of young communication and filmmaking. The idea behind Demoteket is that the public library receives young people's artistic creations, such as music, pictures, text and film, and lends them to the public. The librarians', the collaborators' and the young people's perspectives on the role of the public library in the project Demoteket are examined through interviews, questionnaire surveys and a documentary study. Documents concerning similar projects are also taken into account to further elucidate the public library's function as an arena.The results show that the role as an arena for young people's creativity implies a new way of thinking and new methods of working for the public library. A project such as Demoteket has the potential to put dynamics into the public library's work with young people. Taking care of young people's creations and making them visible however require continuous work and the arranging of various activities. But if projects like Demoteket are integrated into the public library's traditional system, there is a risk of stagnation. The role as an arena for young people's creations is associated with insecurity for the public library. Collaboration with the young as well as with more established actors on the field has proved to be advantageous.Independent creation plays an important part in the young person's search for meaning and identity, and at the same time it is associated with joy. Encouraging this kind of creativity is therefore a significant task, which also concords with the guiding principles stating the forms of public library work.