Public libraries
Public libraries
Public libraries are among the most trusted, accessible and widely distributed civic institutions in Europe, reaching urban, suburban, rural and remote communities alike. Yet their role in citizen science remains emerging, uneven and under-recognised in research, policy and practice.
The Working Group brings together public libraries, library networks, researchers, citizen science practitioners and ECSA members to explore, strengthen and advocate for the role of public libraries across the full citizen science cycle — from awareness-raising and the co-creation of research questions to participation, data stewardship, communication of results and long-term community impact.
Chairs
Ilona Kish
Aleš Klemen
Andreja Vovk Iskrić
Ljubljana City Library
Working group
members
- Public Libraries 2030
- Ljubljana City Library
Activity plan
Mapping existing practices, needs, gaps and opportunities for public-library involvement in citizen science across Europe.
Building a European community of practice linking libraries, library associations, citizen science networks, universities, municipalities and civil society.
Developing practical guidance, toolkits and training modules tailored to both small community libraries and large metropolitan systems.
Supporting co-created, inclusive and ethical projects hosted by libraries, with attention to consent, privacy, accessibility and safe spaces.
Strengthening open science, information, data, media and scientific literacies, including FAIR data principles.
Collecting and disseminating case studies and replicable formats for library-based citizen science.
Contributing a library perspective to the European Citizen Science Platform and to ECSA’s policy, training and impact-assessment work.
Advocating for the formal recognition of public libraries as key citizen science infrastructures in EU, national and local policy.
Past achievements
- This is a new ECSA working group, formed in June 2026.
How to get involved
Send a mail to ecsapl@pl2030.eu
If you are working on Citizen Science Issues and project either within a Public Library or as a partner, we’d love to hear from you!