The Multimessenger Diversity Network (MDN), formed in 2018, extends the basic principle of multimessenger astronomy - that working collaboratively with different approaches enhances understanding and enables previously impossible discoveries - to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in science research collaborations. With support from the National Science Foundation INCLUDES program, the MDN focuses on increasing EDI by sharing knowledge, experiences, training, and resources among representatives from multimessenger science collaborations. Representatives to the MDN become engagement leads in their collaboration, extending the reach of the community of practice. An overview of the MDN structure, lessons learned, and how to join are presented.

Scholarly impact and visibility have traditionally been assessed by estimating the number and quality of publications and citations in the scholarly literature. But now scholars are increasingly visible on the Web. Twitter, Mendeley and other social media platforms are quite well-known and interesting tools for sharing research articles among scholars. Based on the capabilities of altmetrics, this thesis analyses the altmetric coverage and impact of LIS articles published by Swedish universities during 2013 to 2017. It also tries to paint a picture of demographic of people engaged with these articles. The most common altmetric sources are considered using a sample of 170 LIS journal articles. The findings were interpreted using two different sociological theories: the normative theory of Merton´s norms and the theory of social constructivism. The result of the study showed that Mendeley has the highest coverage of journal articles (65 percent) followed by Twitter (33 percent) while very few of the publications are mentioned in blogs or on Facebook. Researchers were the main Mendeley readers of articles with 53 percent, followed by the general public at 26 percent. This study, on the other hand, found out that public users were the main group that shared articles on Twitter. The list of articles with a high number of tweets showed that most topics in the field of LIS are associated with bibliometrics and citation impacts. The results demonstrate that the adoption of altmetric methods within the LIS fields is inevitable, but several issues must be considered to identify their potential.

This bachelor thesis examines how a user can experience different color combinations and how those effect a navigation menu on a website. This with regards on the users first impression. Furthermore, were also different contrasts examined. This thesis also investigates how a navigation menu is being perceived on the basis that it is more appealing in its design, but lacks contrast, comparatively to a design that has strong contrast but do not satisfy the user. Moreover, if color combinations and its placement together with the contrast can increase the efficiency in a navigation process. The colors that were tested were blue and red. Three prototypes were designed which had different color and contrast combinations, but the main colors were blue and red. A qualitative method was being used to examine the impact colors and contrasts can have. An unstructured observation was applied to study the user’s behavior and which prototype was most effective. Moreover, was a think-aloud test where the users had to think-aloud. This method generated an understanding about users first impression and how effective the navigation menu was. Lastly, a semi-structured interview was applied to create a greater understanding about colors impact on the users. The results showed that color and contrast have a big influence on a user’s first impression, but also on a navigation menus’ effectiveness. A more appealing menu with low contrast was being preferred over a menu with high contrast but a less appealing design. 

This study analyzes the accessibility and usability of Swedish Public Authority´s websites for people with visual impairments, this was done with an online-survey answered by 51 respondents (35 respondents with a visual impairment and 16 without). Based on their answers a manual review of one sample website was performed.

The users who participated in the survey raised problems regarding text size, navigation and insufficient compatibility with digital visual aids. The manual review shows that the sample website does not comply with WCAG guidelines 1.2.5, Audio description (prerecorded) ; 1.4.4 Resize Text ; 2.1 Keyboard Accessible ; 3.3.1. 

The study discusses accessibility and usability from the perspective of the visually impaired and their suggestions to optimize Public Authority’s websites based on those two criterias. The study concludes with a discussion of validity, reliability and future research opportunities.

This study examines the experiences of public library staff who works in an LGBTQ-profiled children’s library. The aim of the study is further to find out whether the library as an institution can challenge heteronormativity or if traditional gender identities are reproduced. I have conducted five qualitative interviews with librarians who all work in the same library, and who all work with children to some extent. The interview material is analyzed with queer theory and norm critical theories of pedagogy. These perspectives wish to critically examine heteronormativity and change what is defined as normal.

The result of the study shows that the way the library works with separate rainbow shelves, where LGBTQ-themed material is gathered, is pointing out LGBTQ as something different. And although it may also shed a light on a group formerly made invisible, it is reproducing traditional gender identities and leaves heteronormativity unquestioned. By contrast, the way the librarians are working with always including LGBTQ-materials in programming as storytimes and book presentations, is challenging the dominant position of heterosexuality. It is also shown that the way the library staff has developed their written and oral communication with the patrons, including using the gender neutral pronomina ”hen” and alternatives to ”mom and dad”, is increasing the possibilities of an inclusive reception in the library. The oral communication is for various reasons not always used though.

In conclusion the interviews show that the librarians are positive to working with LGBTQ-issues although they sometimes tend to forget. The study further concludes that the library’s way of working with LGBTQ-issues is both reproducing traditional gender identities, and challenging heteronormative structures.

This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

Bibliografin innehåller litteratur som ur någon aspekt beskriver åldrande och samhällets äldreomsorg. Skönlitteratur och facklitteratur som utkommit på svenska under åren 1977-1981 är medtagna i förteckningen.

The aim of this bachelor’s thesis is to develop a deeper understanding of children’s librarians and their work related information practice, more specifically on how they stay informed and updated in their professional role. The empirical material was collected through six semi structured interviews with children’s librarians from different public libraries in Sweden. The material was then analysed with Bates (2002) model of different modes of information seeking.

The results showed that the children’s librarians' work consisted of a wide variety of tasks which influenced their information seeking practice and consequently had to cover a wide spectrum of areas. The respondents further described how their work with library activities directed to children affected their information seeking as they needed varying forms of information to support the development and implementation of these activities. The most central information sources that the respondents seemed to turn to in order to stay updated were networks, colleagues, their target group (children), the library collection, other organizations, other professions who also worked with children and the internet.

The main modes of information seeking that the children’s librarians’ seemed to use to stay informed was ‘Searching’ and ‘Monitoring’. These are the most directed information seeking modes that are included in Bates (2002) model. The information seeking was further identified as an ongoing activity that was integrated with other work tasks. Staying informed was often described as being driven by a personal interest which sometimes led to work related information seeking in the spare time.

Den här studien undersöker förhållandena för att inkludera bloggar i svenska folkbibliotekens kataloger. Varför förvärvas bloggar som blivit böcker, men inte bloggarna själva?

Studien söker förståelse för och diskuterar de hinder och möjligheter som påverkar en inkludering av bloggar i katalogerna.

Den teoretiska basen består av ett postmodernt perspektiv på biblioteken, och en jämförelse mellan olika sätt att se på folkbibliotekens uppdrag.

Studien använder en blandad metod och kombinerar djupare intervjuer för att få insikt i folkbiblioteken, med en enkätstudie riktad till svenska folkbibliotekarier. Frågorna handlade om attityder gentemot bibliotekens uppdrag, bloggen som medieformat, och hur en inkludering av bloggar i bibliotekskatalogen skulle påverka biblioteket idag och i framtiden.

Studien fann att bloggens materialitet medför hinder som behöver överbryggas för att en inkludering ska vara möjlig, och uppdragen folkbibliotekarierna håller viktiga gynnar en inkludering av bloggar.

The aim of the study is to contribute with insights into knowledge sharing and knowledge retention and to understand how three government agencies maneuver within these areas. Through nine semi-structured interviews with employees, and analysis of documents from the three government authorities, we have gathered information about how employees view knowledge, store it and what challenges there are in keeping it within the organization. We also ask in what respect they consider themselves and the management responsible for enabling knowledge sharing and knowledge retention.

In a knowledge-driven age, the need to manage and retain knowledge in organizations is crucial. Previous research suggests that increased mobility in the labor market poses challenges for sharing and retaining knowledge in organizations.

The results show that factors regarding organizational culture, as well as the responsibility of individuals, impact how and how well organizations retain knowledge. When knowledge isn’t prioritized throughout the organization, we see it in deficient routines and systems for knowledge retention and sharing, which in turn can impact how individuals manage knowledge. A lack of individual responsibility can also, despite a functioning system and established routines, lead to organizations not being able to retain knowledge.

Denna kvalitativa studies syfte är att fördjupa kunskapen om hur bibliotekspersonal väljer böcker till sagostunder för barn i åldern 3-6 år, samt vilka idéer och värderingar som påverkar bokvalet. Bakgrunden till frågeställningarna tar avstamp i den litteraturdidaktiska diskussionen om kvalitetslitteratur samt FN:s barnkonvention. Det empiriska materialet utgörs av tre observationer av sagostunder samt fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer med bibliotekarier på fyra olika folkbibliotek i en kommun. Materialet har analyserats med tematisk analys, med Catarina Erikssons fyra idealtyper över olika synsätt på barnbiblioteket som teoretiskt ramverk. Studien tyder på att bibliotekarier främst hittar böcker till sagostunderna genom hantering av barnböcker i det dagliga arbetet, browsing i bibliotekets hyllor och genom tips från kollegor. Personlig smak, variation, representation samt barngruppens sammansättning visar sig vara viktiga överväganden som bibliotekarierna förhåller sig till i samband med bokvalet. De mest framträdande idealtyperna i vårt material är den musiska och den egaliserande. Barn är sällan direkt delaktiga i urvalsprocessen, men ofta indirekt delaktiga genom att deras reaktioner och preferenser tas tillvara. 

The topic of this bachelor thesis is the promotion of easy-to-read fiction for 10-12 year old children in public libraries. The number of easy-to-read fiction books is increasing on the book market. This can be expected to affect the public library. The hypotheses for the study are: 1) Public libraries expose easy-to-read fiction and use it in their reading promotion activities and, 2) The acquisition of easy-to-read books and the use of easy-to-read books in reading promotion activities have increased over the last five years. A self-completion questionnaire was distributed to 44 public libraries in Sweden. The response was analyzed using quantitative data analysis, qualitative data analysis and content analysis. The analysis show that public libraries expose easy-to-read fiction and it is included to a great extent in book talks. An increase in the acquisition of easy-to-read books has been experienced as well as in the extent to which they are recommended to readers.

The purpose of this study is to achieve a deeper understanding of players’ information behavior in regard to MMORPGs’ external information sources. Despite MMORPGs being a popular recreational activity, and players of this genre of games demonstrating novel information search strategies, this is still an understudied aspect of LIS research. The empirical material was gathered by conducting five semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using a model based upon Harviainen and Savolainien’s (2014) theory of MMORPGs as information systems, along with Wilsons (1999) nested model for information-seeking and information search behaviour. The findings show that external information sources play an important role for players in the information infrastructure of MMORPGs as is also confirmed by previous research on this topic. Which information sources players choose to access is determined based on convenience, habits and the nature of the players information need. The players demonstrate differences in their information behavior depending on if they are less experienced or experienced players. Less experienced players prefer utilizing other players before utilizing external information sources, while experienced players prefer utilizing external information sources as their first option. The findings show that the MMORPG Warframe is also applicable in Harviainen and Savolainen’s (2014) theory of MMORPGs as information systems. The different types of information behaviors that a player can manifest during play seems to align with previous research on the subject.

This study explores accessibility in digital libraries through the lens of the social model of disability and Carpentier's (2015) framework on access, participation,and inclusion. Drawing from interviews with librarians, it identifies key challenges and strategies in creating accessible digital libraries. While libraries are expanding their physical collections with online platforms, the findings reveal a primary focus on access rather than full participation. The social model of disability suggests that the design of technology, rather than the disability itself, limits users' engagement. Carpentier’s distinction between access, interaction, and participation underscores that true inclusion requires more than just providing access to digital resources — it necessitates creating environments that support meaningful interaction and participation. The study emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, inclusive design, and the integration of user feedback to enhance accessibility. It also highlights the need for continuouse valuation and adaptation to meet the evolving needs of diverse users. By framing accessibility as an integral aspect of digital library design, this research advocates for a holistic approach that ensures that all users, regardless of their (dis)ability, can actively engage with and benefit from digital resources. This approach not only supports the library’s mission of fostering learning and democratic participation but also contributes to a more inclusive and equitable information society.

The results of this short research are a confirmation to the hypothesis that stretches throughout the area of information science and refers to the fact that knowledge of an information expert is one of the most volatile ones. Based on the analysis of four-year students' answers several areas not sufficiently present in the Department's educational programme were sorted out. Students primarily pointed to the problem of quality practicums that are, in their opinion, insufficiently covered by the programme. The same is true for courses dealing with computers in general. This primarily refers to the need to get acquainted with the area of programming and applications that are basic for the profession, as well as to introducing the courses on marketing and communicology. What students can expect is knowledge and skills that would prepare them and direct them for acquiring knowledge specific for a variety of working environments, knowledge for adaptation and development, which calls for constant development and growth.

The purpose of this article is to investigate high school students' information practices, their views on source criticism and source trust, and whether it is possible to implement altmetric indicators as tools during the source criticism-analysis of new information related to school assignments and theses. The empirical data is collected through surveys and semi-structured interviews with students and teachers in high school. Since all students in this study spend several hours each day on social media, it seemed natural that altmetrics would be the choice of metric, as this data is gathered from social media, scientific blogs, and reference tools. These are services and platforms where students spend their leisure time, and are therefore more relevant than informetrics based on, for example, scientific journals and databases, which are sources not widely used in high school.

The increasing participation on social media is creating new marketing opportunities for companies and the use of social media as a marketing tool is becoming more common. This study aims to provide a broader insight into the relation between engagement and brand-related content on Instagram. Previous researchers have focused on studying the causes of high and low engagement rate on social media, but also what type of brand-related content is optional for social media marketing. The method applied is a content analysis and the acquired theory was applied in order to categorise and analyse the collected data. The categorisation was made with the base of three social media content categories derived from a conceptual framework by Michahelles & Cvijikj (2013). The empirical data was collected from two Instagram accounts within the fashion industry, NA-KD and Bubbleroom. The engagement rate is measured in “likes”. The results showed that entertaining content have the highest engagement rate, while remunerative content (competition and reward-related content) achieved the second highest engagement rate. Informative content, which was contained of brand and product-related content, was the most frequently published content on NA-KD and Bubbleroom, but had the lowest engagement rate.

Vuxenstuderande är en viktig målgrupp för folkbiblioteken och biblioteken en betydelsefull resurs för målgruppen. Att etablera ett fungerade samarbete med vuxenutbildningen borde vara självklart. På vilket sätt är inte lika självklart. Hur vi kan bygga upp en sådan ömsesidig relation ser förstås olika ut beroende på förutsättningarna och idéerna hos biblioteken och vilka utbildningar och andra samarbetspartners som finns på orten. Verksamhet riktad till vuxenstuderande är ständigt i förändring. IDA verksamheten i Malmö Stad har förändrats, från projekt till levande verksamhet. Från traditionell biblioteksservice till behovsanpassad service. För att möta våra besökares behov kommer den fortsätta att vara i förändring.

Detta paper utgår från, och är en kortare bearbetning av, vår masteruppsats med samma namn, skriven våren 2013 inom ämnet biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap vid Lunds Universitet, masterprogrammet i ABM. Uppsatsen i sin helhet återfinns på http://www.lu.se/lup/publication/3809044.

School libraries have been included in the School Law since July 2011. However despite the law there are no clear descriptions of what a school library must contain or how it should be used as a learning resource in schools. Significant factors for the successful pedagogical function of a school library, is cooperation between the school librarian and the teaching staff. Support from the school management and local administrative documents that define the school library’s role are also important for establishing a solid school library. The aim of this bachelor thesis is to examine in what way school libraries are presented in two union magazine journals for school professionals, by using discourse analysis as a theoretical foundation and as a method. Six main types of discourses appeared which relates to the content and function of school libraries. According to the fundamental principles of discourse analysis the texts from the magazines are to be considered as a social construction of reality rather than a genuine description of the school libraries. Furthermore, this essay contains an interpretation of the language found in the texts selected from the magazines. Several of the six discourse types confer with the image of school libraries as found within the Library and Information Science research field. Surprisingly, there is very little to be found with regard to the school library and its role in the digitizing of schools. Similarly there are very few concrete examples illustrating how the school library and the school librarian work in practice.

This qualitative study examines the browsing behaviours of patrons at two Swedish public libraries. Our methods were semistructured observations and semistructured interviews. The purpose of this thesis is to generate knowledge on how browsing behaviours manifest in practice, especially in the lesser-studied public library context. The research questions were: 1. Which browsing types and browsing activities can be found in our data? 2. How do the patrons describe the changes in their browsing behaviour in relation to the specificity of their information need? 3. How do the patrons describe that their behaviours and choices are influenced by the libraries’ marketing of resources in the physical library room, for example book displays and themed shelves? The results were then analysed in relation to a typology of browsing behaviour proposed by McKay et al. (2019), and in relation to models of browsing behaviour created by Kwasnik (1992) and Bates (2007). The models by Kwasnik and Bates were found to be accurate and useful in describing the browsing behaviours of the patrons we observed. Our data supported some of the types presented by McKay et al.(2019), while other types have been slightly redefined to better reflect our data. The good enough type was proposed as an alternative to McKay et al.’s satisficing type. The patrons displayed different browsing behaviours corresponding to the specificity of their information needs. The patrons show different views towards the library displays. A few patrons looked at them very rarely, while most looked at them more often.

This thesis sets out to investigate hedonic and cultural web interface design elements present on wine tourism destination websites. The thesis focuses on explaining several cultural frameworks and especially the notion of localization, globalization, culturability, and cultural markers, the high/low context theory as well as tenets of hedonics in user interface design. The aim of the thesis was to develop a better understanding and knowledge about which localized design elements that exist and are important in the cultural context of wine tourism destination websites. Hence, the patterns found can help understand how to create and design websites that are culturally sensitive and globally congruent, thus meeting the needs and behaviors of users across different cultures and backgrounds. A web design analysis was conducted to answer the research questions and results were analyzed qualitatively. The results from the web design analysis indicate several similarities and differences found in web interface design elements between the investigated websites. The results found, indicate that the use of hedonic and cultural web interface design elements present on the interfaces investigated are highly context-dependent. Meaning that the websites are preferably considered being culturally dependent, and to a greater extent reflect and are used to motivate the cultural context examined and regional differences. Hence, the patterns found in web interface design elements are considered to be culturally sensitive to the context of wine destination websites and marketing aims of the websites investigated.  The findings can increase knowledge about hedonic aspects in cross-cultural design and can thus be used to help create culturally congruent and globalized interfaces for this specific context. 

The study was performed by the bibliometric group at KTH, within the project Building a structure at KTH of bibliometric capacity for international comparative analysis (BibCap), jointly funded by VINNOVA (Sweden’s innovation agency) and KTH.