Trust is harder to build when public debate pulls people apart, institutions feel distant, and many communities are dealing with loneliness, digital change and climate anxiety at the same time. Libraries remain among the few public spaces where people can meet without needing to buy anything, agree on everything or already belong. From 3–5 June, more than 220 library workers, community organisers, policymakers and cultural practitioners gathered at OBA Oosterdok in Amsterdam for Libraries at the Heart of Europe, a European Cultural Foundation (ECF) gathering exploring how libraries are helping communities respond to Europe’s social, digital and green transitions.

https://culturalfoundation.eu/stories/libraries-at-the-heart-of-europe/