Appraising and citizen involvment methods can contribute to sustainable solutions created by libraries in an urban development context. This is done by engaging and motivating the citizens/users to take responsibility for the areas they are living in and by involving the citizens/users in the work, that concerns themself. In order to carry this out innovative and concrete tools are needed. The objective of this article is to contribute to the development of methods with reference to the role of the libraries in the local community as an active partner and an integrating part of the local community.

Much suggests that the role of the local libraries as a public cultural educational institution/organisation is changing continuously. This is not anything new. And it is not just a question of sustaining the dynamics of the organisation. But it also conserns the service and facilitation of the users, corresponding with their wants and needs, and the ability to communicate complex circumstances related to society in a way that are accesible to everybody. Last but not least the new worldorder, especially with regard to internationalisation and globalisation, calls for new ways of servicing and communication. Because of this the ÅKB, as a pioneer, can have a positive impact on the development of society. It looks as if the preconditions for beeing able to carry out the above-mentioned is at present - also with an eye on solving the integration related assignments. The local libraries in Gellerup/Hasle in Århus is a good example of this.

The empowerment approach, which means strengthening, authorisation and giving independance, gives a coherent suggestion to how citizen involvement should/must/could happend in local communities in a urban political contecst. Empowement as a critical paradigm is gaining acceptance within danish social work and research within the metrpol space. The concept "empowerment" has been a common denominator for the initiatives in the local libraries in Gellerup/Hasle, which thereby have contributed to their obligation and responsibility towards society.

The space and facilities in the libraries are used by mange: young and old, women and men regardless of their socio/echonomical background, public and private institutiones such as associations/self-governing groups etc.

The library has a good reputation among the users as a non-powerpractising institution, by which the library seperates itself from the rest of the danish public system. Use of the library is voluntary. The user goes there by their own free will, which makes the contact between employee and user easier, thus there is a lot of trust in the institution and its work. This leads to a lot of credibility within the work that is carried out. In addition to this the libraries have a great deal of facilities at their disposal, which attracts users, including computers, rooms, acces to internet etc. This can be employed into specific initiatives, especially when it comes to empowerment of the very exposed groups.

The library accommodates as a result of the project:

The empowerment-approach as a democratic tool has prooved to be a usefull and applicable in the Gellurop/Hasle libraries, with a wide range of options. Additionally it is important to look at the different participants and activities in the local community as a whole. The citizen involvement should take place in concurrently with the strengthening of the citizens ressources and surplus. The cultural and lunguistic barriers to the citizen involvement doesn't neccesarily mean that citizen involvement is an illusion and this have to be dealt with by the social/cultural employees.

Community Service and Libraries - The local libraries
Denmark
Kambiz Kalantar Hormoozi, tel. 0045 8940 9644/29204528

01/07/2006

Kambiz Kalantar Hormoozi

research

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Citizens' participation