The will to activate library users and the making of citizens: How different rationalities influence the notion of participation in a library context

This article explores how the notion of participation informs policy documents in a public library context. Library users are expected to manage on their own, to a large extent, as society calls for self-governing, active subjects who are willing to participate. To explore this notion of participation, we utilize the concept of problematization and analyze policy documents regarding the public libraries of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Malmö, Sweden. Although all of the documents are concerned with participation and user involvement, they have different points of departure and call upon different rationalities. Whereas the outlined policies of the Malmö libraries problematize social inclusion, the Copenhagen libraries primarily problematize inefficiency. Despite this contrast, increased participation seems to be the proposed solution in the policy documents of both cities. An analysis of these documents shows the complex and sometimes contradictory meaning of the concept of participation, depending on which rationality is put into play.