Workshop 1.2 | Integrating Citizen Science in your Library in Times of Democratic Challenges
Date: Wednesday, 1 July 2026, 16:00-18:00
Location: R23
Speakers:
Alisa Martek, National and University Library in Zagreb, Croatia
Sara Decoster, KU Leuven Libraries, Belgium
Susanne Blumesberger, Vienna University Library, Austria
Thomas Kaarsted, University Library of Southern Denmark, Denmark
Anne Kathrine Overgaard, University Library of Southern Denmark, Denmark
Tatijana Petrić, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Organised by the LIBER Citizen Science Working Group
The aim of this workshop is to provide key elements for libraries to include Citizen Science in their strategy, while taking into account the context of a changing and uncertain world. Citizen Science support is a new task, which may be a challenge, but also an opportunity for academic libraries to position themselves as a trusted partner that contributes to a democratic society.
The interactive workshop will build on case studies provided by the Citizen Science working group, with examples from Denmark, Croatia and Austria.
A first theme of this workshop is aligning Citizen Science with the mission of the library and with overall priorities at institutional level. This includes dealing with expectations of university management. In addition to the well-known constraints in terms of resources for instance, this uncertain world requires a new emphasis on the balance between openness and the security of people, knowledge and infrastructure.
The next question is how to overcome barriers related to the implementation of Citizen Science by demonstrating its added value. The workshop will highlight more specifically how Citizen Science can contribute to democracy and increased trust in science, while also providing tools for science literacy, thus contributing to a more resilient society.