{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,23]],"date-time":"2026-04-23T08:17:21Z","timestamp":1776932241608,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2005,6,1]],"date-time":"2005-06-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1117584000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2005,6,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The purpose of the paper is to develop an improved conceptual framework for researching and discussing the public library's role as a meeting\u2010place in a multicultural and digital society.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>The development of today's Western societies from societies dominated by one cultural canon, and where the role of the public library is to give the public access to that canon, into societies where a multitude of cultural expressions and values are tolerated and appraised, is summarized. This development is linked to the digital revolution, which opens up for increased communication but might increase a development where people live in segregated cultural niches without being exposed to other values and interests. The general challenge of creating meeting\u2010places with a potential of promoting that degree of cross\u2010cultural communication which a community presupposes is presented. Theory and research on meeting\u2010places and arenas for community communication are presented.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The concepts of high\u2010intensive versus low\u2010intensive meeting\u2010places are developed. High\u2010intensive meeting\u2010places are those arenas where people invest their primary engagement, whereas low\u2010intensive meeting\u2010places are arenas where one is exposed to the values and interests of others. The role of low\u2010intensive meeting\u2010places in promoting tolerance and community is discussed, and the public library's potential as a low\u2010intensive meeting\u2010place is analyzed.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Empirical research based on the concept of high\u2010intensive and low intensive meeting\u2010places should be undertaken.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The concept of low\u2010intensive meeting\u2010places has practical consequences for public librarianship. Some of these are specified in the paper.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper develops a new concept that might prove fruitful for research as well as for practical librarianship.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/00220410510598562","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2005,5,9]],"date-time":"2005-05-09T18:05:20Z","timestamp":1115661920000},"page":"429-441","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":155,"title":["The public library as a meeting\u2010place in a multicultural and digital context"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"61","author":[{"given":"Ragnar","family":"Audunson","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022032019521191700_b1","unstructured":"Benton Foundation (1996), Buildings, Books and Bytes: Libraries and Communities in the Digital Age, Benton Foundation, Washington, DC."},{"key":"key2022032019521191700_b2","unstructured":"Dutch, M. and Muddiman, D. 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