Förändring av Lidköpings stadsbibliotek 1952-1959
En utbildad bibliotekaries påverkan ur ett aktör- och strukturperspektiv
In this masters paper the change that Lidköping public library went through between 1952 and 1959 is described and analysed. The aim is to describe and analyse the reactions that arose at the time that the first professional librarian, Jörgen Elgström, acted to create a modern public library in the town. The issues that are handled are: How did the local politicians and the general public react to the process of change that was started by Jörgen Elgström? What were the consequences for the staff, the premises, lending, child and youth activities? The paper is concentrated around the period 1952-1959 because this is the time when Jörgen Elgström was working in Lidköping. Jörgen Elgström has a central role in the paper. Elgström?s actions resulted in, for example, an increase in library staff, the founding of a child and youth library as well as that the library merged with the ABF library. A short history of the library?s early history is given to create background. A chapter is included on the development of the librarian profession in Sweden together with a chapter detailing three actors who during their respective periods have acted for library activities both nationally and locally. The paper is a qualitative case study that is first and foremost meant to illustrate Lidköping?s situation but it also gives examples of how it could have been in other library contexts in Sweden at the time. A large part of the empirical material consists of records and newspaper articles, so source criticism has been a suitable method to employ. The paper?s theoretical starting point consists of an actor perspective connected to a structure perspective and progresses to show how the actors integrated with society?s structure and vice versa.