Do you work in a library which already carries out some activity in Citizen Science, or are you simply interested in exploring the topic further?
LIBER is launching a Citizen Science Working Group so that we can address this important area of work with colleagues across Europe. All staff working in LIBER institutions are welcome to join this new group.
Why Citizen Science?
In its recommendations, the Open Science Policy Platform identified Citizen Science as one of the key streams to strengthen the dialogue between science and society.
Citizen Science projects produce interesting results but, more than that, they challenge the shape of current scholarly processes. The OSPP has emphatically linked libraries with Citizen Science, as being “well placed” for a number of activities. The role they can have has been echoed in Open Science Roadmaps from LIBER and LERU. The potential that OSPP sees in libraries is a responsibility that libraries have to respond to.
Citizen Science is also related to LIBER’s current strategy.
What Is The Working Group’s Focus?
The exact workplan of the group will be determined collaboratively with all group members, however possible questions to explore include:
- What will be the role of libraries in terms of citizen education and instruction?
- What are the services needed to be deployed?
- Can libraries help Citizen Science initiatives to be viable, operational, as well as their results sustainable?
- How can libraries help various stakeholders in openly licensing their efforts?
- Can libraries help balancing the efforts in the various disciplinary and expand the practices of Citizen Science?
How Can I Join?
All staff working in a LIBER institution, with interest in this topic, are encouraged to express their interest by contacting Dr Giannis Tsakonas, Chair of the Innovative Scholarly Communication Steering Committee.
The group will formally start its work after LIBER’s 2019 Annual Conference in Dublin, Ireland (26-28 June).
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