Lindsay, Margot Elizabeth Virginia; (2002) Historical development of Norwegian librarianship with special reference to the medical faculty of the University of Oslo. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

The thesis provides an historical account of the development of Norwegian book collections and libraries from the earliest beginnings in the 17th century until the Public Libraries Act of 1971. The social and educational context, the growth of the book trade and the power relations expressed in the language conflict provide the background for the main discussion. The public library service and notable figures in its development, with special emphasis on the Deichman Library in Oslo, are outlined and the strong influence of American practices brought back by returning emigrants is emphasized. The development of the first largest academic and public libraries illustrates the importance of individual personalities in the organisation of library practice in a small country. Data selected from archival and printed sources, hitherto only available in Norwegian, are supplemented by a series of interviews conducted with notable librarians from all sectors and from a wide age range. This material is especially valuable in the section that deals with the role of libraries and the activities of librarians during the period of occupation in the Second World War. The growth of professionalism, both in the establishment of the Norwegian Library Association and in the promotion of education for librarians, which culminated in the establishment of the State Library School in 1940, is covered and library architecture and foreign influences on the building and organisation of libraries are discussed. The thesis concludes with a case study of the development of the University of Oslo Library, with special reference to the medical collection there.

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