The participation of Spanish libraries in citizen science: An analysis of their role and involvement

Abstract

The open science paradigm has promoted new forms of collaboration in the production of knowledge, including citizen science, a model that encourages public participation in scientific projects. Libraries, as spaces for access to knowledge, can play a key role in these processes, whether by informing, providing resources, or leading initiatives. This study analyzes the involvement of Spanish libraries in citizen science by examining their institutional websites and conducting a consultation with the library community through the IweTel email distribution list. The results show that, although university libraries have begun to incorporate citizen science into their discourse, their participation remains limited, while public libraries have yet to significantly adopt this approach. The study discusses potential factors contributing to this low level of involvement and highlights opportunities to strengthen the role of libraries in this field.