”Hur stor skulle v rlden vara om jag inte kunde l sa” En studie av kvinnliga interners l sning vid anstalten Hinseberg

This article is an abridgement of our Master’s thesis within the discipline of library and information science. Our study focuses on the impact of the socio-cultural environment on the reading habits of the female inmates of a high security correctional institution. The object of this study is to attract attention to female inmates who constitute a marginalised user group within this field of research. The study is a qualitative in-depth interview study with nine female internees between the ages of 20 and 60 that have been convicted to at least three years imprisonment. The findings reveal that the socio-cultural environment affects the well-being of the inmates which in turn impacts on their reading. The application of categorised reading models shows that escapism along with the aspiration to increase self sufficiency and personal development are among the most frequent motives for reading. Our conclusion implies that reading facilitates future rehabilitation to society. The library is managed with insufficient means, a regrettable circumstance in view of the positive effects resulting from the inmates’ reading as shown in our study. kvinnliga interner, l sning, kriminalv rd, Hinseberg, f ngelsebibliotek.