In their millennial history, libraries have undergone various transformations influenced by socio-political, economic, and cultural factors, yet they have remained an important public institution. Throughout all periods of human development, libraries have enjoyed special respect and recognition. Educated rulers and aristocrats valued their importance for the advancement of science and culture. Great care was taken to assemble rich and comprehensive funds, the most erudite scientists, poets, writers, and public figures were appointed by the rulers themselves as guardians and organisers of the libraries’ activities. Librarians made tremendous efforts to collect, multiply, systematise, make available for use, and preserve the priceless library treasures.
Today, society places great hopes on the successful development of education, science, innovation, sustainable economic growth, and global partnership. However, these aspirations could not be realised without an effective, high-quality, and secure information system. Currently, over 320,000 public libraries and more than 1 million national, parliamentary, university, research, school, and special library institutions operate worldwide today, providing reliable information and literacy skills to all citizens. Libraries guarantee access to information, which makes them key institutions in the information age in which we live. They store and can provide reliable data, information and communication infrastructure, training for effective use of information resources, as well as preservation of information for future generations.
This potential can and must be effectively harnessed in the functioning and development of today’s and tomorrow’s society. Libraries have a place and a major role in overcoming the global challenges of the 21st century, in transforming the world, in its sustainable development, in promoting and coordinating open and Citizen Science.
Open and citizen science are interconnected research agendas that are in the process of strategic and organisational consolidation. Central to both is citizen engagement. Open Science involves free access to information and the participation of the public and organisations in scientific research. Citizen Science refers to the involvement of non-professional “scientists” in research projects across all fields of science, applicable to both knowledge creation and monitoring (e.g., of environmental or health conditions).
The concepts and practices of Open and Citizen Science still need ambassadors and coordinators to promote them among the public, to ensure their institutional recognition and integration. It is here that libraries can be actively involved, since they are the institutions that, from ancient times to the present day, are the main centres of public life. It is they who guarantee free, secure, and reliable access to information, knowledge, and data. The basis of the library’s mission and activity is the collection, systematisation, classification, and storage of data – activities that are necessary in the implementation of Open and Citizen Science.
Library institutions can benefit open and Citizen Science in several ways:
- Acting as a single information point for access to information and contacts regarding national and international civic initiatives.
- Providing contact between researchers and volunteers.
- Providing a link between the researchers themselves from different institutions.
- Promoting Citizen Science initiatives and recruiting volunteers.
- Managing the collection, systematisation, classification, and storage of data.
- Providing training, both for researchers and volunteers.
In this regard, ULSIT, and specifically the Library and Information Center attached to it, supports Citizen Science by regularly providing an exchange of information between scientists and students and thus supporting the recruitment of volunteers for various causes. In addition, the library collects and provides information to learners about various Citizen Science initiatives organised by other institutions and academics outside the university, thus again acting as an intermediary between stakeholders. A very important plus and opportunity for the university is the fact that it trains librarians in several specialties, and this makes it possible for all information campaigns to reach librarians from other libraries and become a good example for them. Thanks to all this, the participation of students in scientific projects has become a means of promoting curiosity and a better understanding of science in them, and the librarians of our institution have become distinguished ambassadors and coordinators of Citizen Science.
It is time for science, citizens, and libraries to join forces. Open and Citizen Science describe a partnership between groups of people sharing ideas to create something new and seek innovative solutions. Modern globalisation has further fuelled these trends through the ubiquity of the Internet, portable technology, and the ease of connecting with others. Free access to people, information, and ideas can unlock new opportunities, new relationships, and new forms of cooperation that transcend national borders and individual thought. Sharing, which lies at the heart of Open and Citizen Science, may be the key to the prosperity of modern society, with libraries as the open door between science and society.
Author: Elisaveta Tsvetkova
