Libraries are vital pillars of democratic societies and in today’s fast-changing world, their role in fostering an informed and engaged community is more critical than ever. As essential public service providers, libraries are well placed to contribute to tackling pressing societal challenges through social innovation and collaboration.
Moreover, libraries are under increasing pressure to adapt to the fast-changing needs of their communities, and traditional top-down service design is no longer effective. They are evolving into community-driven hubs that foster inclusion, democracy, culture, and sustainability. This transformation aligns with the 2023 update of the Council of Europe’s guidelines on library legislation and policy in Europe, which emphasise the vital role of libraries in supporting democratic participation. It also resonates with the European Union Work Plan for Culture 2023–2026, which identifies libraries as a priority with its upcoming report on “Building bridges: strengthening the multiple roles of libraries as gateways to and transmitters of cultural works, skills, and European values.”
The forthcoming European Culture Compass offers a timely opportunity to position libraries at the heart of Europe’s cultural and social transformation. Evidence from the LibrarIN project—covering policy adoption, the state of social innovation, and empirical studies on co-creation in public, research, and national libraries—demonstrates how libraries can serve as gateways to cultural works, transmitters of European values, and enablers of skills development. Leveraging these insights within the framework can strengthen libraries’ capacity to innovate, foster collaboration, and address the complex challenges they face in the 21st century.
The Lisbon Council, in the context of the LibrarIN project, convenes a high-level policy roundtable to discuss policy recommendations to help libraries fully embrace their potential as catalysts for community development and digital literacy in the 21st century. Contributing to the adoption of the Council of Europe recommendations and the definition of the upcoming European Culture Compass.
Event Details
- Date: 30 September 2025,
- Time: 10h30-12h00 CET
- Location: Residence Palace, 155 Rue de la Loi, 1040 Brussels