The Library as a Resilient Institution

Abstract

Urban libraries play a key role in the development of societies, being not only places for storing and sharing knowledge, but also institutions that shape the social, educational and cultural capital of the city. In the context of the challenges of the modern world, such as urbanization, climate change, social inequality and pandemic crises, urban libraries are becoming an important example of a resilient institution, i.e. one that can effectively adapt to dynamic change while preserving core values. The purpose of this article is, first: to try to understand the transformations of the contemporary urban library interpreted as a “third place”; and second: to identify its activities as a resilient institution. From the research objective thus outlined, basic research questions arise: What current (additional) roles do public libraries play?, and How are libraries perceived by librarians and students as meaningful places? The author seeks to answer these questions by drawing on the results of her own research, conducted using qualitative and quantitative methods among librarians and students at the University of Lodz.