Biblioteche moltiplicatrici di welfare

Abstract

The article considers library services as part of the welfare policies. According to a growing social and economic literature that is shaping a new concept of development and a broader idea of “welfare”, the authors argue that public libraries can play – and actually play – a key role in fighting inequality and enforcing social cohesion. Nowadays “social librarianship”, increasingly focused on users’ needs and social environment, seems to realize this new mission of the public library.