TY - JOUR

T1 - The Sustainable Library

T2 - A retrospective case study of a public library sharing initiative

AU - Høj Mathiasson, Mia

AU - Jochumsen, Henrik

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Sharing initiatives, things collections or libraries of things have become developing features in public libraries within recent years. This article reports on a retrospective case study of The Sustainable Library, a now-concluded Danish sharing initiative from 2016 to 2022. As an early example of a public library sharing initiative, The Sustainable Library is a unique case. Moreover, its explicit focus on sustainability and sharing economy makes it an early example of sustainable librarianship. The study offers empirical insights into the life cycle of the sharing initiative and its different phases. Examining the case from its organizational context, the study asks how and why the sharing initiative was developed, what were its preconditions and drivers, and which barriers were experienced along the way. Finally, the study makes room for hindsight reflections on the role and responsibility of public libraries and sharing initiatives in the sustainability agenda.

AB - Sharing initiatives, things collections or libraries of things have become developing features in public libraries within recent years. This article reports on a retrospective case study of The Sustainable Library, a now-concluded Danish sharing initiative from 2016 to 2022. As an early example of a public library sharing initiative, The Sustainable Library is a unique case. Moreover, its explicit focus on sustainability and sharing economy makes it an early example of sustainable librarianship. The study offers empirical insights into the life cycle of the sharing initiative and its different phases. Examining the case from its organizational context, the study asks how and why the sharing initiative was developed, what were its preconditions and drivers, and which barriers were experienced along the way. Finally, the study makes room for hindsight reflections on the role and responsibility of public libraries and sharing initiatives in the sustainability agenda.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Public libraries

KW - Sharing initiatives

KW - Libraries of things

KW - Sustainability

KW - Sharing economy

KW - Sustainable librarianship

KW - Sustainable library

KW - Case study

KW - Retrospective study

KW - Sustainable library

KW - Sharing initiatives

KW - Sharing economy

KW - Sustainable librarianship

U2 - 10.1177/09610006231190131

DO - 10.1177/09610006231190131

M3 - Journal article

JO - Journal of Librarianship & Information Science

JF - Journal of Librarianship & Information Science

ER -