The Role of Public Libraries in Countering Misinformation : A Swedish Perspective

Abstract: Misinformation poses a significant threat to democracy, as it undermines informed decision-making, creates distrust among citizens, and exacerbates social and political polarization. Public libraries can in theory mitigate this threat by serving as trustworthy sources of information and promoting critical thinking, but must contend with issues such as the politicization of library services, which have the potential to erode public trust in libraries. This paper explores the critical role of public libraries as democratic institutions in countering the growing problem of misinformation and disinformation. Six librarians and library managers from Sweden's largest public libraries were interviewed using semi-structured interviews to gather qualitative data on this topic. Thematic content analysis was conducted on the data, which resulted in several key themes that demonstrate issues involved in public libraries’ approaches to addressing misinformation. The results reveal that public libraries grapple with whether an open, unrestricted acquisitions policy is better, or whether a more selective policy is more effective in combatting misinformation-related problems. The results also indicate public libraries’ uncertainty in deciding how active and outspoken of a role they should take in combatting the issue of misinformation at large. The study highlights the importance of public libraries in addressing this societal challenge and provides insights into the tensions surrounding the library’s preservation of public trust and the protection of its democratic values when challenged by misinformation.