Public Libraries
With over 380,000 around the world, public libraries form a critical foundation of the world’s social infrastructure–spaces and services that welcome all members of society, foster personal exploration and growth, and uplift communities. This research aims to generate new insights and approaches for strengthening the public library’s position as an essential actor in building informed societies and driving community development. Our focus is on digital technologies and opportunities for transformative changes within the library sector. We explore such questions as:
- How can libraries support cultivating, producing, and sustaining local knowledge?
- How can libraries leverage combinations of physical and digital spaces to create unique hybrid experiences?
- How can libraries assist their communities to leverage open data ecosystems?
This research is made possible by a generous grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Projects
- All
- Public Libraries and Open Data Survey
- Community Labs in Public Libraries
- Workshop: Public libraries as platforms for civic engagement
- Refugee Women And Technology Education in Seattle
- STEM Education for Gender Data Equity in Costa Rica
- Advancing Library Visibility in Africa
- Measures that Matter
- Digital Skills for Digital Librarians Evaluation
- Development & Access to Information
- Mobile Information Literacy
- Research Roadmap for Strengthening the Library Field
- Information Strategies for Societies in Transition
- Namibia Regional Library Evaluation
- Public Internet Access & Use in Vietnam
- Innovation Spaces
- Measuring perceptions of the benefits of ICT in public libraries in the EU
- Perceptions of Libraries as Development Partners
- Digital Inclusion Framework
- Public Access Landscape Study
- Global Impact Study
Featured Outputs
- Publications
People & Organizations
- Research Team
- Chris Coward, Principal Research Scientist & TASCHA Director, Information School
- Rebecca Sears, TASCHA Assistant Director, Information School
- Maria Garrido, Principal Research Scientist, Information School
- Chris Rothschild, Senior Research Scientist, Information School
- Michelle Fellows, Research Analyst, Information School
Updates
- Developing digital skills for digital librarians
- Session at ALA: Ensuring the Future of Libraries: Connecting the Academy and the Profession
- Gates Foundation awards TASCHA with 10-year grant to advance public libraries as agents of social change
- TASCHA & IFLA report explores how access to information contributes to development
- Mind the (information) gap: Making the case for action by governments
- Making development smart & inclusive: Launch of the Development and Access to Information (DA2I) report coming soon
- Partnership design and the Global Libraries legacy initiative