Biskopsgårdens public library as a multicultural meeting place - Development after the ESME-project

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine how libraries are working with multilingual speakers in their area and how they can develop library services with help from the locals. We focus on how Biskopsgårdens public library in Gothenburg, Sweden, has worked as a multicultural meeting place after their participation in the ESME project. The ESME-project “Libraries for all” was an EU project that ran from 2009 to 2011 with the goal to develop a multicultural library service. We conducted one semi-structured interview and performed an observation at the library. The main results we found was that the library became more open minded and cooperative with the locals in Biskopsgården after their participation in the ESME-project. Our conclusions are that a project such as ESME surely can work but to gain the long-lasting effect on society you have to keep on the good work and develop your operation.