The public library as a meeting‐place in a multicultural and digital context: The necessity of low‐intensive meeting‐places
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of the paper is to develop an improved conceptual framework for researching and discussing the public library's role as a meeting‐place in a multicultural and digital society. Design/methodology/approach The development of today's Western societies from societies dominated by one cultural canon, and where the role of the public library is to give the public access to that canon, into societies where a multitude of cultural expressions and values are tolerated and appraised, is summarized. This development is linked to the digital revolution, which opens up for increased communication but might increase a development where people live in segregated cultural niches without being exposed to other values and interests. The general challenge of creating meeting‐places with a potential of promoting that degree of cross‐cultural communication which a community presupposes is presented. Theory and research on meeting‐places and arenas for community communication are presented. Findings The concepts of high‐intensive versus low‐intensive meeting‐places are developed. High‐intensive meeting‐places are those arenas where people invest their primary engagement, whereas low‐intensive meeting‐places are arenas where one is exposed to the values and interests of others. The role of low‐intensive meeting‐places in promoting tolerance and community is discussed, and the public library's potential as a low‐intensive meeting‐place is analyzed. Research limitations/implicatio…
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Audunson's concept of low intensive meeting places, Aabø and Audunson's qualitative study of the public library as place, and Alstad and Curry (2003) are examples of research relying on Sennet's perspective.
“Audunson.s concept of low intensive meeting places (Audunson 2005), Aabø and Audunson's qualitative study of the public library as place (Aabø & Audunson 2012) and Alstad and Curry (2003) are examples.”
From Public libraries as an infrastructure for a sustainable public sphere (2019) · cites this paper as Audunson 2005
Audunson's (2005) concept of 'low-intensive meeting places' emphasises the democratic importance of routine, low-barrier environments in which diverse people can be present with one another without requiring strong prior ties or formal deliberation.
“His concept of 'low-intensive meeting places' emphasises the democratic importance of routine, lowbarrier environments in which diverse people can be present with one another without requiring strong prior ties or formal deliberation.”
From Public libraries as social infrastructure: An integrative review of community roles (2026) · cites this paper as Audunson, 2005
Libraries create opportunities for weak-tie contact, observation, recognition and low-intensity interaction among diverse users and between users and staff.
“Libraries create opportunities for weak-tie contact, observation, recognition and low-intensity interaction among diverse users and between users and staff (Audunson, 2005;Johnson, 2012;Vårheim, 2014).”
From Public libraries as social infrastructure: An integrative review of community roles (2026) · cites this paper as Audunson, 2005
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References 16 · Cited by 228
- Authors
- Audunson, R.
- Corresponding author
- Audunson, Ragnar
- ORCID
- Audunson, Ragnar
- Venue
- Journal of Documentation
- Publisher
- Emerald
- Published
- 2005-06-01
- Volume
- 61
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 429-441
- ISSN
- 0022-0418 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1571551509
- Cited by
- 228
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 21.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Documentation (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Library and Information Sciences › Library Science and Administration
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Library Science and Information
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Information Science and Libraries
- Keywords
- public libraries, meeting rooms, multiculturalism, digital society, cultural segregation, intercultural communication, community communication, tolerance, public librarianship, cultural canon
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