WP3 Results - Activity T3.1 Towards a New Idea of Library
The European project Byblios promotes the social and professional inclusion of people with cognitive disabilities by reimagining libraries as inclusive community hubs. Within this framework, Work Package 3 (WP3) explored new opportunities, risks, and priorities for the “future library” through a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach combined with comparative analysis of good practices. This article presents the WP3 methodology and results from five European countries — Italy, Portugal, Germany, Romania, and Spain — highlighting how libraries can become catalysts for learning, employability, and social participation.
Across Europe, libraries are evolving from repositories of books to dynamic learning environments that promote inclusion, participation, and active citizenship. The Byblios project explores how libraries can contribute to the social and professional inclusion of people with cognitive disabilities, aligning with broader transformations such as digital transition, lifelong learning, and career guidance for young people and adults.
Work Package 3 (WP3), titled “Towards a New Idea of Library”, aimed to understand how libraries can respond to these emerging needs and act as drivers of social innovation and inclusion.
Methodology
Activity 3.1 was based on a Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology: it represents a transformative approach to inquiry that prioritizes collaboration, critical reflection, and social change, making it particularly appropriate for the aims and structure of the BYBLIOS project. It fosters a dynamic process in which librarians, educators, young adults with disabilities, and other relevant stakeholders act as co-creators of knowledge. Within the context of the action research project (WP 3.1), qualitative methodology is essential for gathering detailed feedback from participants through focus groups, allowing researchers to understand the impact of the intervention and refine strategies based on real-world insights.
The investigation involved multiple stakeholders to explore the potential of a new future library in light of major social transformations. Participants were selected from library staff, including librarians, library assistants and other staff involved in daily operations (Library Front Office and Back Office). Libraries were examined as open and flexible spaces, located in urban, suburban, and rural areas, and embedded in public schools, community centers, municipalities, and adult education centres. The focus groups discussed the topic of libraries as social and cultural hubs, the future of them and hiring library staff with disabilities and explore the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating them into the daily operations of libraries.
These were the main discussion points during the sessions:
Introductions and Sharing Experiences: Participants introduce themselves, describe their roles and backgrounds and share past experiences working with people with disabilities or other fragilities.
Future of Libraries: Discussion on areas of development for libraries, including the acquisition of new skills, career planning services for young people and the role of libraries as inclusive learning spaces.
Accessibility and Inclusion in Libraries: Sharing practices and examples on improving accessibility and inclusion for both staff and users , including architectural modifications, digital accessibility, mentorship and training.
Hiring Library Staff with Disabilities: Presentation of the “Byblios” Project and discussion on hiring library staff with disabilities or other mental and physical weaknesses, emphasizing the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Concerns and Challenges in Integration: Participants can raise specific concerns and challenges related to hiring staff with disabilities or other fragilities, including accommodation needs, training requirements, and potential biases
Support Strategies: The group can brainstorm strategies and resources that could support the integration of staff with disabilities or other weaknesses, such as accessibility training, mentorship programs, and adaptive technology.
Research activities included focus groups and working groups in five European countries: Italy, Portugal, Germany, Romania, and Spain. Each partner involved librarians, educators, policy makers, social service representatives, and users with cognitive disabilities.The focus groups were conducted in groups of 4 people to allow information to be collected more easily and to delve deeper into the analysis topics.
The main output was a report identifying new opportunities, needs, and priorities, as well as risks and barriers for transforming libraries into inclusive learning and employment ecosystems.
Mapping of Good Practices and Key Findings
Following the participatory research, partners conducted a mapping of good practices across the five countries. The analysis focused on how libraries already act as inclusive environments that promote accessibility, autonomy, and social participation.
Four main dimensions emerged:
Social inclusion and accessibility
Training and employment pathways
Community engagement and networking
Digital inclusion and innovation
Results by Country
Italy
Four focus groups involved library staff, teachers, and inclusion referents from public, school, and university libraries, sharing professional experiences and perspectives on inclusion.
Future of libraries: Libraries are seen as community hubs and learning centers combining digital innovation with traditional reading. Participants envision libraries as inclusive and community-centered spaces, combining traditional reading offering innovative services and fostering social interaction
Accessibility & Inclusion: Key challenges include physical accessibility, staff training, public awareness and resource limitations. Strategies proposed include adaptive technologies, mentoring, inclusive policies and continuous staff training.
Hiring Staff with Disabilities: Generally viewed positively, with proper training and mentorship. Inclusion of staff with disabilities is considered a way to enhance empathy and user experience. Barriers include prejudice, lack of leadership support and insufficient resources. In general, new generations are perceived as more receptive to inclusion.
Italian focus groups highlighted that libraries can evolve into inclusive, accessible, and socially engaging spaces. Critical success factors include leadership support, staff training, adaptive technologies, mentoring, and cultural openness. BYBLIOS is seen as a model for promoting inclusion in Italian and European libraries.
Portugal
Role of libraries: Evolution from places of study to cultural and social centers, integrating learning, socialization, and community; balance between paper books and digital resources; librarians as mediators, social support, and guidance for digital and cultural inclusion.
Accessibility and inclusion: Adequate physical spaces and infrastructure; cognitive and relational inclusion with attention to empathy and a sense of belonging; personalized support for students with disabilities or frailties.
Integration of staff with disabilities: Possible through specific training, teamwork, and digital tools; need for planning, mentoring, and awareness-raising to overcome structural and cultural barriers.
Main challenges: Lack of staff and resources; infrastructure that is not always modern; digital divide and literacy issues, even among adults; declining reading habits among young people.
Opportunities and strategies: Libraries as multifunctional and inclusive community spaces; collaborations with schools and associations for creative and accessible activities; digital technologies as complementary tools for accessibility and engagement; ongoing training and clear professional roles.
School libraries in Portugal are engines of inclusion, equity, and community, where the integration of people with disabilities, a balance between traditional and digital, and staff training are key elements in addressing current and future challenges.
Germany
The German focus groups highlight the evolving role of libraries as multifaceted community hubs, blending traditional reading with educational, social, and digital functions. Across all groups, participants emphasized that libraries are no longer mere repositories of books but vibrant spaces fostering learning, social interaction, and inclusion.
Libraries as Community Hubs: Libraries serve as “third places” where users of all ages—children, young people, seniors—can gather, learn, and interact. Libraries increasingly provide workshops, language courses, digital literacy training, and spaces for social engagement.
Skills for Future Librarians: Beyond traditional cataloging, librarians require social, psychological, and pedagogical skills. Key competencies include empathy, communication, adaptability, conflict management and digital literacy.
Digital Transformation: Digital tools offer opportunities for learning and accessibility but must complement rather than replace physical books. On the one hand, libraries aim to educate users on balanced and responsible technology use; on the other resource constraints can limit digital integration and adaptive technologies.
Inclusion and Disabilities: Employing individuals with mental disabilities is seen as both a moral imperative and an operational opportunity, enhancing team dynamics and fostering empathy. In this sense a successful integration requires ongoing supervision, tailored task assignment, staff training, and institutional support.
Structural Challenges: Common challenges across focus groups include insufficient funding, precarious staff contracts, limited training time and fragmented cooperation among institutions. Barriers also include stigma, limited staffing, financial constraints and organizational flexibility.
German libraries are transforming into inclusive, community-centered spaces that balance educational, social, and digital roles. Although challenges like limited resources and structural barriers remain, careful planning, staff training, and supportive institutional policies can help libraries become models of social innovation. Networking with schools, associations, and local authorities is essential to support long-term projects, literacy promotion, and inclusive employment.
Romania
Also in Romania, four focus groups were conducted within the BYBLIOS project, with the aim of exploring perspectives on the inclusion of people with disabilities in public libraries.
Role of libraries: Libraries are evolving into multifunctional community hubs and digital mediators, balancing traditional books with digital resources. Librarians need digital, communication, empathetic, and creative skills to support users and community engagement.
Inclusion of people with disabilities: Users with intellectual or mental disabilities are generally welcomed, but staff integration is challenging due to recruitment procedures, lack of specialized training, and need for mentorship. Inclusion strategies include volunteering, task adaptation, and targeted training.
Challenges: Communication barriers, stereotypes, staff shortages, and complex hiring regulations limit full integration. Librarians feel a mix of empathy and caution.
Opportunities and strategies: Libraries can enhance social reputation, foster inclusivity, and provide meaningful roles for people with disabilities through mentoring, training, and adapted tasks. Digital tools and creative initiatives support accessibility and engagement.
Romanian libraries are adapting to digital and social changes, aiming to combine community support, technological advancement, and inclusion of people with disabilities, while facing structural and emotional challenges in staff integration.
Spain
Infrastructure and accessibility: Libraries face physical and digital barriers, especially in historic buildings and rural areas. The adoption of accessible spaces and assistive technology tools is essential to ensure the inclusion and active participation of all users.
Technology and digital services: Inclusive technology, from accessible software to centralized digital platforms, is seen as a key tool for expanding access and facilitating learning. Training and ongoing support for users and staff are essential to fully exploit its potential.
Staff training and awareness: Staff require ongoing training on inclusive communication, disability, and bias, supported by mentoring and peer support. Awareness-raising helps create a welcoming environment and enhance everyone's skills.
Employment inclusion: Hiring staff with disabilities not only promotes equity, but also enriches libraries with diverse perspectives and improves the design of inclusive services and spaces. Practices such as accessible job postings and internship programs encourage active employee participation.
Collaboration and Community: Involving users, associations, schools, and families in planning activities ensures truly inclusive services. The exchange of experiences between urban, rural, and university libraries fosters innovation and best practices.
Leadership and Strategy: Active, inclusion-oriented leadership integrates clear objectives, shared protocols, and dedicated resources, translating intentions into concrete and sustainable actions over time.
Future Vision: Libraries are perceived as inclusive community hubs that combine learning, culture, socialization, and digital access. Projects like BYBLIOS are key tools for disseminating inclusive practices, monitoring impact, and building equitable and welcoming environments.
Cross-Country Insights
The comparative analysis across Italy, Portugal, Germany, Romania, and Spain highlights a common European direction, showing that libraries of the future are evolving into inclusive, community-centered and digitally innovative hubs that move beyond their traditional roles as spaces for books or study.
Libraries are shifting from traditional knowledge repositories to active inclusion hubs.
They play an increasing role in career education, lifelong learning, and employability.
Key challenges include limited leadership engagement, insufficient staff training, physical and cognitive accessibility barriers, and scarce resources.
Solutions include investing in assistive technologies, creating accessible spaces, providing support tutors for staff with disabilities, and promoting inclusive employment.
The integration of digital and creative tools—such as storytelling, accessible design, and gamified learning—enhances engagement.
There is growing recognition of libraries as accessible, socially embedded and competence-oriented spaces.
Highlights
Participatory Action Research (PAR) involving 5 European countries explored how libraries can evolve into inclusive learning and employability ecosystems.
Good practices were mapped across Italy, Portugal, Germany, Romania, and Spain, illustrating diverse models of social inclusion and innovation.
Libraries demonstrated potential to foster career development, digital literacy, and lifelong learning for people with cognitive disabilities.
The study identified four core dimensions for the “future library”: inclusion, training, community engagement, and digital innovation.
Findings define a European vision of the inclusive library as a catalyst for social participation, creativity, and sustainable community development.
Conclusions
WP3 of the Byblios project demonstrates that libraries can serve as inclusive ecosystems for learning, work, and civic participation.
Through Activity 3.1 – Participatory Action Research, partners conducted focus groups to identify shared priorities, opportunities and barriers for the libraries of the future. The mapping of good practices provided concrete models that illustrate how libraries already act as agents of inclusion in diverse European contexts.
Together, these findings define a European vision for the “inclusive library”—a space that combines digital innovation, social inclusion, and career development, supporting people with cognitive disabilities in their learning and professional growth.