The potential of public libraries to tackle EU challenges

The Culture and Cultural Heritage Partnership of the Urban Agenda has been working as part of their Action 5 of their Action Plan to “raise awareness for public libraries and their new tasks on a European and national level”. 

In the EU, there are over 65,000 public libraries visited by 100 million people every year. Libraries have a long tradition of offering access to information. While libraries are united in this mission, they are inherently local institutions, adapting their offer to the needs of the communities they serve. 

Yet, the contribution libraries make on a local level is an indication of shared societal challenges, experienced across the continent. These challenges include (but are not limited to): education, social inclusion, digital inclusion and democracy.

In this framework, the Culture and Cultural Heritage Partnership has commissioned an external expert report on the role of libraries on the European Agenda.

About the report

The report begins by considering European societal challenges, which public libraries can help to tackle.

Within the context of these challenges, the report goes on to provide an overview of relevant EU programmes, policies and initiatives in the European Commission, European Parliament and Council of the EU.

Finally, it presents an analysis of where public libraries make important contributions, where their potential is neglected, and how the EU can better integrate this potential in the future. An accompanying one-page set of recommendations is also included in the Annex, to be used in support of advocacy work with EU policymakers.

See more by downloading the report!