Biblioteksutvecklares lärande i praktiken: så beskrivs integrationen av formellt och informellt lärande i två regionala biblioteksverksamheter

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study is to look into the learning environment and learning conditions of regional library employees. The study has a qualitative and deductive approach. The theoretical position of the study is Fuller and Unwin’s continuum for expansive versus restrictive learning environments, which is drawn upon Lave and Wenger’s theory of situated learning and Engeström’s expansive learning theory. Fuller and Unwin’s conceptual model of expansive and restrictive learning environments is used as a lens to collect and analyse data. Six semi-structured interviews have been conducted with regional library employees at two different library development units. The results, based on the perspective of the regional library employees, show that the learning environment can be seen as both restrictive and expansive. The findings indicate that the learning environment is expansive when it comes to the individual's opportunity to learn and develop within their role and restrictive when it comes to learning that challenges the organisation of work. The findings also indicate that the integration of formal and informal learning is facilitated by the supportive learning climate in a workgroup, by teamwork and cooperation, by group learning through dialogue and by group attendance at formal learning activities. Furthermore, the integration of formal and informal learning seems to be impeded by current standards of best practice and social structures which emphasize learning as transfer. The integration also seems to be impeded by a limited scope of action due to multiple learning environments represented by multiple contexts such as the regional library, the individual public libraries in each region and the municipalities that those public libraries belong to.