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Cited by 34Library Science and AdministrationInformation Science and LibrariesLibrary Science and Information

Revisiting the notion of the public library as a meeting place: challenges to the mission of promoting democracy in times of political turmoil

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Carlsson, Hanna, Hanell, Fredrik, Engström, Lisa·2023·Journal of Documentation
DOI 10.1108/jd-03-2023-0061
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Abstract

Purpose: This article explores how public librarians understand and perform the democratic mission of public libraries in times of political and social turbulence and critically discusses the idea of public libraries as meeting places. Design/methodology/approach: Five group interviews conducted with public librarians in southern Sweden are analyzed using a typology of four perspectives on democracy. Findings: Two perspectives on democracy are commonly represented: social-liberal democracy, focusing on libraries as promoters of equality and deliberative democracy, focusing on the library as a place for rational deliberation. Two professional dilemmas in particular present challenges to librarians: how to handle undemocratic voices and how to be a library for all. Originality/value: The analysis points to a need for rethinking the idea of the meeting place and offers a rare example of an empirically based argument for the benefits of plural agonistics for analyzing and strengthening the democratic role of public libraries.

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Crossref · 10.1108/jd-03-2023-0061

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43 of 43 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Carlsson et al. (2023) offer a more precisely theorised account, examining how public libraries can actively support democratic processes through information access, civic education and deliberative programming.

    “Carlsson et al. (2023) offer a more precisely theorised account, examining how public libraries can actively support democratic processes through information access, civic education and deliberative programming.”

    From Public libraries as social infrastructure: An integrative review of community roles (2026) · cites this paper as Carlsson et al., 2023

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Authors
Carlsson, H., Hanell, F., & Engström, L.
Affiliations
  • Linnaeus University (SE)
  • Lund University (SE)
Corresponding author
Carlsson, Hanna
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Documentation
Publisher
Emerald
Published
2023-07-05
Volume
79
Issue
7
Pages
178-195
ISSN
0022-0418 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1108/jd-03-2023-0061
OpenAlex
W4383875582
Cited by
34
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 1
FWCI
26.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Documentation (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DiVA (Linnaeus University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Library and Information Sciences › Library Science and Administration
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Information Science and Libraries
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Library Science and Information
Keywords
public libraries, democratic mission, meeting rooms, political unrest, deliberative democracy, public librarians, professional dilemmas, equality, southern Sweden

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