Referensgrupper för ungdomar på folkbibliotek en bra idé?
The aim of this master thesis is to find out if young people and librarians think that reference groups can support public libraries to meet the needs of young people, and if the reference groups, which the librarians describe, differentiates from the young peoples requirements. I have made a qualitative study with a questionnaire to six librarians who have experience from reference groups and ten interviews with teenagers. The result showed that young people have many interests and needs which can be met from the library. The teenagers were positive to the library and many of them showed interest in having more influence on the library. Many would like to join a reference group, but on the condition that they would be offered real influence. The librarians were also positive to the groups, the contact with young adults and their reality where of great value for the librarians in their work. Problems that were mentioned were how to form a representative group and how to keep the young adults devotion to the work. Young people and librarians agree to that reference groups can support libraries to serve young peoples needs. Two big problems that arise are what kind of influence the group can have and how or if it is possible to have a group which is both representative and committed to the work. The groups in the libraries were mostly advisory, but young people want to take decisions and make their own initiatives. I find that without such possibilities of real influence, it will be hard to engage young people in reference groups in the library.