In 2023, Bibliotheca Baltica joined the EU Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme’s “Urban Knowledge Hubs” project as an associated organization. The project concluded with a conference held at the Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen this June. We are pleased to announce the final output of the project – “The 4C Toolbox: Engaging Users to Transform Public Spaces and Services: A Guide to Participatory Innovation”, created by the project team comprising the State and University Library Hamburg (a Bibliotheca Baltica member), the National Library of Latvia (also a Bibliotheca Baltica member), the Royal Danish Library, and Oslo Metropolitan University. We are particularly glad that this project became possible through valuable contacts made during the Bibliotheca Baltica symposium in Lübeck in 2022, where the toolbox’s author and editor, Jamie Johnston, was a speaker.
We would like to introduce the toolbox to the Bibliotheca Baltica community. It is available for download and reuse on the Zenodo platform and on the project webpage (under the Solutions section).
The 4C Toolbox offers a structured approach to creating Urban Knowledge Hubs (UKHs) – dynamic, multifunctional spaces that foster collaboration, learning, and innovation. While the concept of UKHs originated in the library sector, it is designed to be transferable to a wide range of public service providers. UKHs aim to become adaptable community centers where citizens can connect, engage, and access both physical and digital resources, supporting diverse public services beyond libraries.
We wish you a wonderful journey exploring participatory innovation in the field of libraries!