Tag Archives: placemaking

Public libraries as place makers in today’s cities: urban development, resiliency and social equity

IFLA’s Metropolitan Libraries Section (MetLib) is seeking submissions for its main program at the 83rd IFLA World Library and Information Congress to be held in Wrocław, Poland, 19-25 August 2017 with the theme Public libraries as place makers in today’s cities: urban development, resiliency and social equity.

The Section intends to explore how public libraries of large urban areas all over the world are contributing to ‘placemaking’, to place identity and to the design of public spaces which promote the wellbeing and happiness of a community.We are seeking papers addressing how public libraries:

  • contribute to urban planning and design, as one the main assets of a lively neighborhood;
  • attract people as interesting places
  • innovate in environmental sustainability issues
  • contribute to local economic regeneration
  • provide services for the homeless, the poor and other disadvantaged users
  • manage crisis during disasters (flooding, earthquakes, etc.) and changing conditions
  • engage communities in planning services
  • contribute to the city’s diversity and intergenerational equity
  • contribute to the local community’s learning capacity

MetLib  provides an international platform for professional communication and understanding of topics related to libraries of cities and urban areas of more than 400.000 inhabitants.

The deadline for submitting a detailed abstract is 28 February 2017. Further details can be found on the IFLA WLIC 2017 website.