It is said that libraries are the cornerstones of democracy. What is then the democratic mandate, and how is it perceived by the library staff? That's what I examine in this master's thesis. I’ve made 14 phone interviews with library staff, from assistants to managers, and examined what their daily work routine looks like and what they think belongs to the democratic mandate. I found that all agree that there is a democratic mandate, but it is not clearly stated in any document. I found seven areas that my respondents saw as part of the mandate; availability, diversity, children and young people, equality, public education, free of law and cultural history. These are not sharply defined, but can often move into one another. The everyday work of the library is more of a social work than you might think. The digital divide means that the library staff will largely be helping with things like ordering stuff over the Internet, get email accounts, helping people to learn social media, helping immigrants and refugees to learn how Swedish society works and so on. The problems experienced with the democratic mandate were mainly economic. Downsizing means that the staff does not have time and opportunity to help as much as they want. The fact that the democratic mandate is not so clearly stated was also experienced as a problem. A clearly defined mandate would not only draw guidelines for labor, but also show outward a little better what you actually do at the libraries, more than lend books.