Digital Divides according to the Public Library

The discursive conceptualisation of digital divides within

the Swedish public library sphere.

Amanda GlimstedtUniversity of Borås, Sweden

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The digital divide?

• A problem with two sides?Access to ICT and digital information?About creating, interpreting and using digital

information?

Or one?“the differences existing between different groups of citizens regarding the opportunities to access and

draw use from information via the Internet” (Digitala klyftor

2003)

Questions To Be Answered:

1. What presence do the issues of the digital divide have in the Swedish public library sphere today?

Answered through a study of Swedish library plans.

Questions To Be Answered:

2. How is the term “the digital divide” talked about and conceptualised within this library sphere?

Answered through a discourse analysis of the project plans for two library projects against digital divides.

Questions To Be Answered:

3. How do the conceptualisations relate to the library sphere’s own perceived identity as an agent in the Swedish society?

Answered by connecting the results of the analysis to a theoretical model of the identity of the modern local public library.

Questions To Be Answered:

1. What presence do the issues of the digital divide have in the Swedish public library sphere today?

2. How is the term “the digital divide” conceptualised within this library sphere?

3. How do the conceptualisations relate to the library sphere’s own perceived identity as an agent in the Swedish society?

The Swedish public library sphereNo national co-ordination exists today.

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290 municipals independently run the 1.348 public libraries.

Co-operation with 21 county libraries.

The public libraries are funded by the municipals. Projects can be funded by the government body the Swedish Arts Council.

”Municipals and city councils are to adopt plans

for the library activities” Swedish Library Act (2005) §7

The digital divide manifested in Swedish library plans

Questions To Be Answered:

1. What presence do the issues of the digital divide have in the Swedish public library sphere today?

2. How is the term “digital divides” conceptualised within this library sphere?

3. How do the conceptualisations relate to the library sphere’s own perceived identity as an agent in the Swedish society?

The examined library projects

1. Headed by the Östergötland county library, 2007 –

Aiming to develop ”the possibilities for libraries tosupport the lifelong learning”.

2. Headed by undisclosed county library, on planning stage

Aiming to create “an infrastructure for digital access with thelibraries as service points”.

Documents used in the analysis are the project plans submitted to /for submission to the Swedish Arts Council as applications for financial funding.

Conversations in the texts focus on:

… the nature of the divide.

… a reduced divide for lifelong learning.

… a reduced divide for civic life.

… the library’s role in bridging the divide.

… the nature of the divide.

The two projects agree that:

“digital thresholds” such as ”geography, age, education, income, civic status”, today affect citizens’ opportunities to “use today’s technology”.

And that:

“digital competence” is a “proficiency skill”.

… a reduced divide for lifelong learning.

”learning environments” “flexible learning”

”distance student” ”computer usage”

”social and mental” distances to “studies”

”knowledge seeking” ”knowledge society”

Related discourse: The public library as a possible part of the

formal education system.

… a reduced divide for civic life. “every-day life” “citizens”

”Facebook” ”downloading”

“online banking” ”popular adult education”

”information seeking” ”critical thinking”

”democratic process” ”to make ones voice heard”

Related discourse: The public library as part of the every-day

lives of members of both a local community and wider

society.

… the library’s role in bridging the divide.

”ought to ensure” ”access to the Internet”

“library network” “infrastructure”

”collaboration” with the ”local community”

“reach uncertain [IT-]users” at a “basic level”

“flexibility”

Related discourse: The public library as a hub in a local

community providing and offering instructions in ICT.

Questions To Be Answered:

1. What presence do the issues of the digital divide have in the Swedish public library sphere today?

2. How is the term “digital divides” conceptualised within this library sphere?

3. How do the conceptualisations relate to the library sphere’s own perceived identity as an agent in the Swedish society?

The identity of the public library

P1P2

Anderson & Skot-Hansen 1994

Conclusions to draw?1. The issues behind the concept of the digital divide is today

only to a limited extent acknowledged in the Swedish public library sphere.

2. The texts show how public libraries uses the term “the digital divide” to relate themselves to different rivalling discourses striving to determine the function and purpose of the Swedish public library.

3. Through its work against digital divides the libraries act asdiscoursive subjects to manifest their relevance both as instiutions in the local community, but also in the Swedish society.

Questions?

Thank You!

Andersson, Marianne & Skot-Hansen, Dorte (1994). Det lokale bibliotek: afvikling ellerudvikling. København: Danmarks Biblioteksskole

Digitala klyftor: insatser för att överbrygga dessa (2008). Stockholm: Statens institutför kommunikationsanalys