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

Abstract

PurposeThis 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/approachFive 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/valueThe 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.

Drag story hour at public libraries: the reading child and the construction of fear and othering in Swedish cultural policy debate

“…The discussions surrounding DSH at public libraries in Sweden are a tangible example of an ongoing politization of this institution (see Carlsson et al, 2023;Hanell et al, 2023). The trend is also observed in other countries and political contexts (e.g.…”

“…These attacks illustrate how institutions conveying fact-based knowledge are challenged by anti-pluralist and anti-expert sentiments from the radical right (Waller et al, 2017). Additionally, Carlsson et al (2022) show how library programming activates promoting diversity, in particular LGBTQ issues and the rights of sexual minorities, are often the main sources of ideologically motivated conflicts around library activities in contemporary Sweden (see also Carlsson et al, 2023;Hanell et al, 2023). The study presented in this paper adds new insights to these findings by providing an in-depth analysis of the lines of conflicts drawn in the "culture war" discourse that the public library is drawn into.…”

“…Additionally, Carlsson et al . (2022) show how library programming activates promoting diversity, in particular LGBTQ issues and the rights of sexual minorities, are often the main sources of ideologically motivated conflicts around library activities in contemporary Sweden (see also Carlsson et al. , 2023; Hanell et al.…”

“…Thereby, the study seeks to contribute to an emerging body of research that delves into the challenges that public libraries as promoters of democracy are confronting in the conflictual political landscape of today, characterized by the resurgence of the radical right and a questioning of core democratic values (cf. Carlsson et al, 2023;Kitzie et al, 2022;Tucker, 2023).…”

“…The discussions surrounding DSH at public libraries in Sweden are a tangible example of an ongoing politization of this institution (see Carlsson et al. , 2023; Hanell et al.…”