| Abstract [eng] |
The Master's thesis analyzes the concept of the inclusive and socially responsible library and explores the possibilities of implementing this concept as an organizational change in the libraries of Šiauliai region. In the theoretical part of the thesis, by applying the method of scientific literature analysis, the essential aspects of inclusive organization were investigated. The analysis of library role change, library services for disabled, change management in public organizations and the provisions of legal documents regulating the inclusion of disabled people in social and cultural life was carried. This analysis made it possible to substantiate the theoretical concept of a socially inclusive library, to foresee the possibilities of its implementation and to create a theoretical model of inclusive library. In the empirical part of the thesis, by applying the content analysis method, the main activity documents (annual activity plans and annual activity reports) of Šiauliai region libraries of 2014–2019 were analyzed. This analysis showed the readiness of libraries to become inclusive organizations. By applying the method of e-mail interview, the opinion of organizations, representing the disabled in Šiauliai region and the heads of libraries was investigated. This analysis showed the correspondence between the library services and the needs of the disabled. The results of the research showed that changing public attitudes towards public services lead to changes in the roles of libraries and create conditions for the development of socially inclusive library. The research revealed that the process of creating an inclusive library involves the essential stages of change management – initiating, implementing, and consolidating changes, associated with the development of library services for the disabled. In this process, the assessment of the needs of one of the library's stakeholders, the disabled and their representatives, and their involvement in the planning, design, implementation and evaluation of library services are very important. Consistent planning, implementation of planned activities, evaluation of achieved results, selection of appropriate interventions and change enabling factors are important factors in the change management process, which is necessary for inclusive library development. The data obtained during the theoretical and empirical research allowed to investigate the practical applicability of the inclusive library model, which was developed in this paper. This paper also provides guidelines for the improvement of Šiauliai region libraries' management and services for the disabled in order to increase the inclusion of disabled people in libraries activities. |
