The library’s new initiative invites municipal residents to societal conversations

In November, Janakkala Library will launch the Janakkala Shared Library (Janakkalan yhteinen kirjasto) development project, which aims to strengthen libraries’ role as promoters of democracy, sources of reliable information and enablers of residents’ participation.

Riikka Hyvärinen has been chosen as the project’s coordinator; she has extensive experience in projects that support participation and community cohesion.

In the project, libraries will serve as venues for researched information, expert presentations and constructive dialogue. During 2025–2026, discussion events, influence evenings and democracy clubs will be organized to strengthen residents’ opportunities to take part in conversations about shared matters and to receive factual and reliable information.

This will be implemented, for example, by arranging moderated, listening and contextualizing discussions in libraries where decision-makers, residents and issues can meet. Young people will be offered opportunities to organize their own events and provided with information on channels through which they can influence everyday phenomena. Special attention will be paid to the participation of different language and cultural groups and to removing barriers to access to information.

The role of libraries as sources of reliable and comprehensible information will be strengthened at a time when public debate has become more entertainment-oriented and the importance of source criticism is emphasized. The project carries out the statutory task of public libraries to promote societal and cultural dialogue.

Hyvärinen is responsible for implementing the project. The project begins in November and continues until the end of 2026. It is funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the municipality of Janakkala. Since 2016, the Public Libraries Act has set the municipality the task of promoting societal and cultural dialogue.