Public Libraries and Lifelong Learning

This literature review examines the role of public libraries in supporting lifelong learning (LLL). The first part considers the impact of recent economic and social changes in the field of education. Thanks to official documents, the paper tries to answer the question on how is it possible to transform the information society into the learning society? The new learning culture is largely described besides focusing on the concept of LLL. The second part describes the themes related to the new role of libraries and librarians involved in LLL services. When public libraries, between the 1990s and the 2000s, are recognized as the pillars for a democratic knowledge society, the position of the libraries in the communities changes, thanks to cooperation and new partnerships into the formal, non formal and informal education system. Besides the infrastructures, the networks and the provision of services, libraries offer neutral and supportive local learning settings. As demonstrated by the experiences in the field of Information Literacy, guidance and training constitute the strategic value of libraries. In order to achieve the democratic goals of an inclusive society, libraries have to pay attention to their public and to the different needs of their users. This new scenario ask librarians to become agents of change, prepared to meet the new demands of technology and, morover, of people. New information professionals need new qualifications and professional recognition, into a perspective of a lifelong career. This study dedicates a part to the Italian case, in order to understand the state of the art of the role of public libraries in LLL in this geographical area and comparing the situation with that of other European countries. The final part offers a recognition of the main trends and problems related to the role of public libraries and LLL. In some areas it is evident a gap between the international policy and the current practices