Why universities and libraries should get involved in Citizen Science?

Universities and libraries across Europe are increasingly engaging in Citizen Science activities. Citizen Science is a valuable way to establish connections between science and society, a way to focus scientific research on the issues driven by and focused on communities (where this research could take place). However, given its growing popularity, the challenges of citizen science methodology have also come to light: How does one fully involve citizens in research? How can such research respond to the topical challenges of the community? How can research that involves citizens as active co-authors be of value scientifically? Libraries play a key role in turning citizen science project ideas into reality. Not only are they best positioned to bring all of the stakeholders together, but they also serve to connect the academic with the community and translate the jargon to ensure everyone’s full participation