Libraries, the Public Sphere, and Democracy 2.0

Abstract

Libraries have played an important role in democracy throughout the years. Libraries, besides housing and preserving collections, hold an important place in the public sphere by organizing and providing access to information to all citizens regardless of socio-economic status. In recent years, socio-technical developments including Web 2.0 have had profound influence on democratic societies Will the explosion of information available on the Internet marginalize the role of libraries in the public sphere? Should socio-technical developments change the democratic roles of libraries? This paper provides brief introduction to the role of libraries in democracies and an overview of the role of libraries in the public sphere. While the technology and the amount of information available on the Web has caused librarians to need to reevaluate the purpose of libraries, especially public libraries, this paper argues that the library's core mission and role in the public sphere is just as, if not more, important in the age of Democracy 2.0.