Bibliotek på lek och allvar : En kvalitativ studie av vuxnas användning av barnavdelningen Kanini

Sammanfattning: In 2016 a new space for younger children opened at Malmö public library called Kanini. Kanini builds on a vision of the future library for children where flexibility, offers of new experiences and children’s participation will characterize the library space and activities. As some of the children are very young, a large group users are adults. The aim of this master’s study is to examine a) how adults use the new children’s library in relation to the intentions expressed in Kanini’s steering documents and, b) adult conceptions of Kanini. In an ethnographic approach participant observations have been carried out at Kanini as well as an analysis of Kanini’s steering documents. The theoretical framework is based on the Four Space Model constructed by Henrik Jochumsen, Casper Hvenegaard Ramsussen and Dorte Skot-Hansen, together with a model of children’s participation developed by Barbro Johansson and Frances Hultgren as well as the concept of mothering developed by Sara Ruddick. The analysis of the material shows that adults in the main use Kanini as intended according to the documentation i.e. in new and creative ways. At the same time, adults tend to have traditional ideas of what a children’s library is and how to use it. There would seem to be a contradiction in perceptions of the children’s library and how it is actually used. Conclusions include that the vision of the future children’s library may take some time to replace traditional expectations.