From Local Impact to Global Transformation: Collaborative Library Networks for Sustainable Futures

Abstract

As Türkiye prepares for its COP31 Presidency, the General Directorate for Libraries and Publications is mobilising over 1,300 public libraries as trusted, inclusive hubs for climate literacy, community engagement and action. Grounded in Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) and Paris Agreement Article 12, this nationwide effort connects reliable information with public awareness, lifelong learning, participation and advocacy. Libraries translate climate commitments into locally meaningful programmes through staff capacity-building, climate collections, intergenerational activities and community dialogue. Local initiatives are documented, connected and amplified nationally; through international library networks, their knowledge and experience contribute to global knowledge exchange and well-being. The poster transforms this approach into a participatory experience: visitors select one of 100 squares, explore its climate concept, discuss its relevance to libraries and communities, and place it on the matching term, gradually revealing a shared image. This collective act embodies the poster’s central argument: libraries are accessible knowledge infrastructures that connect global goals with informed, resilient and empowered communities. By making local action visible and linking it to national advocacy and international cooperation, libraries can strengthen inclusive climate action on the road to COP31 and beyond. Keywords: climate literacy; public libraries; Action for Climate Empowerment; COP31; community engagement.