Implementation of e-Inclusion in public libraries : a case study of Tallinn Central Library

Abstract

This study aims to explore the e-Inclusion concept from the librarians’ point of view and analyse how Tallinn Central Library (TCL) has implemented it in order to ensure an inclusive digital society that provides opportunities for all its users. Two e-Inclusion programmes launched by TCL were analysed. (Training courses for elderly people and Training courses for jobseekers). This research is a single-case study and follows a qualitative approach. Purposive sampling was used. Thus, participants selected were management staff of TCL and directors of seventeen branch libraries in Tallinn. The methods used for the collection of data were documentary analysis, written interviews and semi-structured interviews, containing questions constructed according to the issues related with the literature review and programmes mentioned above. The interviewees’ responses provide detailed information about the performance of the training courses as well as the motivations of trainers and trainees and strengths and weaknesses among other relevant issues. The interviews were analysed using description analysis. From the results of the thesis it can be concluded that, despite the fact that of Estonia is known as a leading country in terms of ICT, there are still many groups of the population excluded from the benefits offered by the digital information society, among them are elderly people and people who have lost their employment in the wake of the economic crisis of the recent years. A big part of the members of this latter group do not have the needed IT skills to find a new job and required for the modern Estonian society, and a considerable number of them belong to the Russian-speaking community. Therefore, they have language barriers and it makes even more difficult for them to overcome the digital divide. In order to remediate the above issues the work that TCL is doing to reduce the digital divide includes training courses for these groups of people can gain skills using computers.