Descriptions of Library Functions and Roles in the Comprehensive Plans of Town and Village Municipalities that Establish Public Libraries

Abstract

　This study aims to clarify the functions and roles expected of public libraries by town and village municipalities that operate them. Since the decentralization reforms, local governments in Japan have increasingly aimed to provide services tailored to local needs. The national government has encouraged municipalities to formulate policies that address community-specific issues, and libraries are likewise expected to reflect such directions. Accordingly, municipalities are required to develop library policies aligned with regional needs, define expected functions and roles, and ensure accountability. In Japan, a “comprehensive plan” is the top-tier policy document covering all administrative areas and is adopted by nearly all municipalities.

　A qualitative analysis was conducted using 139 comprehensive plans selected through random sampling. Library functions and roles were categorized into 13 themes. “Residents' awareness” and “library operational infrastructure” clarify foundational aspects of library management. “Library services,” “learning,” “reading,” and “cultural” refer to core functions such as lending, reference, and reading promotion, with “reading” especially emphasizing children. Additional categories included “lifelong learning,” “life support,” “support for a fulfilling life,” “library as a hub,” “residents’ engagement with libraries,” “community revitalization,” and “context.” Within the hub functions attributed to libraries were emotionally expressive roles such as “community activity hub,” “place for social interaction,” and “hub for life purpose.” At the same time, more specialized functions such as “learning hub” and “knowledge hub” were also described, indicating that the library’s hub function spans both professional and general dimensions.