”Vi ska vara lika bra” : En studie om förutsättningar för små folkbibliotek på landsbygden.

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the small public libraries' prerequisites for working in their local communities in relation to the challenges that the present gives. Furthermore, this thesis, a survey via qualitative interviews with six librarians working on small public libraries, will try to answer the questions: How do the informants view the physical role of the small public libraries in relation to what they contribute to the local community? Can threats be identified for the small public libraries' opportunities to operate according to law and expectations? How does the possibility for small public libraries in rural areas look to contribute to the local community through work with participation? The concepts of participation, social capital and Public Value are used together with previous research in the analysis of empirical data. The previous research examines the requirements and expectations of public libraries. Finally, the concept of social sustainability is also used to investigate whether the small public libraries where interviews were conducted contribute to social sustainability for the local community. The study concludes that this is the case. At the same time, factors are identified that can influence the possibilities of small public libraries to prioritize sustainability.