Kerstin Rydbeck

Professor Kerstin Rydbeck is a distinguished scholar at Uppsala University's Department of ALM (Archival Science, Library Science and Museology), Faculty of Arts. With a PhD in Literature focusing on Sociology of literature, she has established herself as a leading researcher in library and information science, particularly in the areas of reading practices, gender studies, and the role of libraries in the public sphere.

Her research interests span reading practices, gender and popular education, Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, library history, and LAM (Libraries, Archives, Museums) institutions. Professor Rydbeck investigates how reading groups function at the intersection of private and public spheres, examining their social and cultural significance in contemporary Sweden. Her work often employs sociological frameworks to understand how libraries serve as democratic spaces in the digital age.

Analysis of her extensive publication record reveals a consistent focus on the evolving role of libraries as public sphere institutions across Europe. Her research demonstrates particular attention to comparative studies of library policies, professional identity formation among library and museum workers, and how libraries support marginalized communities including migrants and refugees. A recurring theme throughout her work is how reading groups and shared reading practices create social connections in increasingly digital societies.

Professor Rydbeck has contributed significantly to understanding the legitimacy of Scandinavian libraries, archives and museums as public spheres, with numerous publications examining community librarianship, social reading, and the historical development of reading groups in Swedish public libraries and folk education contexts.