Per i cittadini, con i cittadini, dei cittadini

Abstract

Working for citizens, working with citizens: in a little word there’s a big difference. When a library looks at users as service grantees, the librarian is generally the decision-maker: he or she schedules events, builds opportunities, buys books for people, and every proposal meets with a high or a low response. When a library looks at users as service co-makers, this is a different tune. Active citizenship can help libraries to approach new potential users and let them be part of the library project, with their talent and their social experience. Everyone can have an effect on the library service portfolio (educational courses, free time activities, expositions, reading groups…): that’s why a library can be seen as managed by people. Can we imagine a citizens’ library as the ultimate step in its evolution? What does it mean? When a library belongs to its users, are we pronouncing it dead or are we at the beginning of a new story?