From July 3-5, 2024, representatives from TU Wien Bibliothek and TU Delft attended the LIBER 2024 Annual Conference in Limassol, Cyprus. This major event brought together academic library professionals across Europe to explore the transformative roles of libraries in urban sustainability and citizen science.
A key highlight of the conference was the joint presentation on "Connecting Cities and Universities: Libraries' Role in Citizen Science Pilots of Urban Sustainability." This session showcased how libraries can act as crucial connectors between universities and urban communities, driving citizen science projects aimed at sustainability. Through case studies from Vienna and Delft, the presentation demonstrated how libraries facilitate collaborations between researchers and the public.
Additionally, TU Wien and TU Delft's team presented a poster on advocacy for Citizen Science, which won the LIBER 2024 Poster Award. The poster emphasized the role of libraries in championing community-driven research and fostering partnerships between science and society.
Ahead of the conference, the two institutions also co-hosted a pre-conference workshop titled "Citizen Science: Partnerships for Science and Society," which focused on strategies to strengthen collaborations between libraries, researchers, and citizens.
The event underscored the vital role of libraries in promoting citizen science and advancing urban sustainability initiatives.