Libaries and Democracy in Germany

Results of a European Project on the role of public libraries for democracy and public welfare

Abstract

Libraries, archives and museums and the public sphere in the digital age is the project theme of a comparative research project "ALMPUB" funded by the Norwegian Research Council over the last three years. In large surveys based on probability samples, the population of six European countries (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Germany and Switzerland) was surveyed on their view and acceptance of new and traditional roles and services of archives, libraries and museums. An analogous survey of the three professional fields gave further comparative insights. The aim was to find out what significance libraries have for the democratic and digital society and whether they actually fulfil the new roles in their self-image and their current offerings.

Not surprisingly, there is a clear difference between the Nordic countries and the South of Europe. Some of the Nordic countries have even codified the obligation of contributing to the development of the country's democracy in their library laws. However, this meets with comparatively little understanding among the population as well as in professional practice in Germany. Although the majority of librarians surveyed in Germany see an important role for libraries in promoting democracy through the provision of information and knowledge, the approval decreases when it comes to concrete offers to form opinions, e.g. through activating or dialogue-oriented forms of events.

Nevertheless, there is a tendency to recognise that the new political role of libraries is accepted and demanded by the population, and that librarians also see themselves in this role. Germany deviates from this overall picture only gradually.