IFLA 2014-5 country reports: Sweden

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IFLA 2014-5 country reports: Sweden

Prepared by Linda Willander

 

The most significant news is that The National Library of Sweden has been given a mission to place a suggested plan for a national library strategy. The purpose of the strategy is a long term commitment and a will to keep and develop the libraries in Sweden. In 2015 the government gave 5 million Swedish crones for this mission and in 2016-2018 thefinancial appropriation will be 6 million crones annually.

 

The Libraries is a meeting point with literature in focus. At the same time they are also rooms for conversations and therefore a central building block in our democracy. The recent discussions on libraries reflects the need for a national library strategy, says Alice Bah Kuhnke-the Minister of Culture and Democracy in Sweden.

 

The mission for the National Library includes suggesting longtime goals and strategies, from the library law and to facilitate collaborations and partnerships in the public library system. And also to look at the libraries roll in enhancing the position of literacy and the democratic conversation. The mission also includes the librarians roll, school libraries and e-media.

Discussions and debate

  • What kind of places should the Swedish libraries be? A discussion started since some libraries in suburbs with social challenges debated on the issue of being social workers or librarians. Interesting debate in relation to the new mission for the National Library.
  • How can we live up to the goals in the library law? For example provide good service in different languages since we have a mixed community in the larger cities.
  • Continuing debate on how to give access to ebooks in collaboration with publishers (now very expensive for libraries and must limit the service to patrons)

 

Existing projects regarding literacy

  • Daddy and I – the project works with dads as reading role models to enhance reading skills.
  • Preschool-libraries – show good results in the south of Sweden.
  • More-open libraries – accessible before and after staff hours.
  • Libraries as culture houses-not only libraries.