This thesis takes aim on the late 19th and early 20th century practice and ideas of limitations of public usage of the library in Sweden. The methodological approach is a geanological study inspired by the works of Michel Foucault. The purpose of the thesis is to historically problematize the present idea of an all-democratic public library. The study is based on a variety of materials such as official documents, handbooks and paper articles. In these sources well known persons from the historical library field expresses their ideas on how library practice should be conducted. The main findings of this study are that the widespread ideas that the patrons needed much support both regarding guidance in choice of literature and usage of the library space created limiting practices expressed through surveillance and control. These ideas arose from the narrative that the new working class needed to be educated and formed to fit in the new modern society. The lower classes were set to be adjusted through a system of “lifelong education” [folkbildning] in which the libraries played an important part.