Journal Article: “Citizen Science in Libraries Worldwide: A Systematic Review”

Ed. Note: Many thanks to Sage for honoring our request and removing the paywall to this article.

Title

Citizen Science In Libraries Worldwide: A Systematic Review

Authors

Dolores Mumelaš
National and University Library, Zagreb, Croatia

Ivana Matijević
National and University Library, Zagreb, Croatia

Tomislav Ivanjko
National and University Library, Zagreb, Croatia

Source

Journal of Librarianship and Information Science
First published online June 26, 2025

DOI: 10.1177/09610006251342825

Abstract

Open science and citizen science aim to make scientific research more inclusive, accessible, and transparent by involving the public in various aspects of the research process. Previous systematic reviews have explored the role of citizen science, focusing on specific regions, library types, or thematic areas. However, a comprehensive, global review addressing all library types and their involvement in citizen science is lacking. This study provides a systematic overview of the global landscape of citizen science in libraries, identifying key theoretical concepts, practical implementations, and national trends. A systematic review was conducted across four major databases: Web of Science, Scopus, LISTA, and Library & Information Science Collection. Papers were included in the research based on their relevance to citizen science in libraries, with criteria encompassing all library types, global geographical coverage, and multilingual sources. A total of 58 papers directly addressing libraries and citizen science were analyzed. The findings reveal that the analyzed works address several key theoretical topics and concepts, including open science as a central concept, libraries as facilitators and hubs for engagement, community engagement and crowdsourcing, educational roles and capacity building, digital humanities and historical projects, and contributions to sustainable development. Examples of practical implementations include transcription and annotation projects, crowdsourcing and community engagement, health and environmental citizen science, and digital innovation. At the national level, studies focus on higher education libraries, public libraries, perceptions and collaboration, frameworks for sustainability, and bridging the gaps between science and society. Although the analysis provides valuable insights into citizen science initiatives, the study could not directly confirm that these publications have shaped or influenced specific projects or their recommendations, highlighting this as an area for further research. This research concludes that libraries worldwide are well-positioned to act as key enablers of citizen science by addressing challenges and adopting best practices. This review highlights diverse approaches to developing a library’s roadmap for engaging in citizen science initiatives.

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