For Joy and Profit : a comparative study in selection of fiction literature in bookshops and libraries concerning factors as the market, demand and quality

The aim of this thesis is to investigate how purchasingmanagers in bookshops and public librarians reason withregards to their selection of fiction literature. Nineinterviews have been conducted in this qualitative studymade in the spring of 2013; four librarians, four bookmerchants, as well as a market director of a major chain ofbookstores. Our focus has been particularly directed toascertaining what influence the cultural-political mission oflibraries have had on the process of selection, as well as theextent to which factors such as demand and quality play apart in both organizations. We have been interested inseeing how libraries and bookstores compare with regards tothese factors, because of obvious differences in their goalsand purposes. Librarians see both the benefits and flaws intheir way of working, as well as in the way in whichbookstores conduct their business, and vice versa, that theyare often successful in cooperating, like when arrangingvisits from authors etc. Bibliotekstjänst, purchasesuggestions from users, the librarians own proposals are thesources for the libraries’ selection. The decisions are madewith respect to quality, content and public value. The userinfluence have increased, and the users’ satisfaction factor ishighly important. The book merchants were sometimescontrolled from the head offices in their selection, but hadthe freedom of buying books from local authors, and thecustomers demand also had an influence. They have incommon that their selection is highly influenced by themedia. Program: Bibliotekarie