Transformative capacities of libraries – TU Wien Bibliothek as a role model

Abstract

By adopting new technologies, approaches and methods, university libraries have been drivers of change for many decades. TU Wien Bibliothek has been a role model for transformation for the entire university and beyond. In a participatory process, the library team has developed a mission statement that is strongly committed to Open Science and sustainability. Building on this, we have set organisational measures and project priorities that contribute to achieving the UN SDGs. The poster presents our activities as a green library with a focus on energy efficiency and mobility and highlights new services that address the needs of different communities, such as citizen science projects, education initiatives, a customised information and data literacy programme to meet the needs of women and girls, gender equality plans, metadata transformation and Open Knowledge Maps to raise awareness of the SDGs, partnerships with the city administration and local initiatives (e.g. Open House Vienna). Our activities have had a transformative impact on the library staff, the university and members of the general public who use the library as a knowledge hub.