Recognising the other through promotion of reading, collection development and communal collaboration : rural public libraries in the far-north of Sweden and their relation to the indigenous Sámi population

• Introduction. This study reports findings from a study on the relation between rural public libraries and the Sámi population in northern Sweden, placed in the context of minority priorities required by the Swedish Library Act.Method. Four full day workshop focus-group interviews were made with public librarians from 33 rural municipalities in northern Sweden, and follow-up interviews were conducted with representatives of the Sámi library sector.Analysis. Qualitative analysis was carried out inspired by the concept of institutional ethnography. Capturing the relation between individual experiences and institutional structures, results are related to the concept of recognition as a moral basis for legitimate indigenous struggle.Results. Results indicate that rural public libraries have difficulties meeting the requirements of the Library Act. Reasons are lack of general resources, lack of knowledge in indigenous librarianship and limited production of literature in the Sámi language varieties spoken in Sweden.Conclusions. Further development of Sámi designated administrative areas and increased production of literature in Sámi language varieties stand out as the two most important factors in making daily work in public libraries able to reach the requirements of the Library Act in terms of recognition of the informational and cultural needs of the Sámi people.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap -- Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Media and Communications -- Information Studies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

public libraries

librarianship

indigenous librarianship

Sami

Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap

Library and Information Science

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)