Welfare is dead, long live welfare! Public libraries between welfare and social value

Abstract

The debate on libraries and welfare is almost coincident with the current crisis of libraries all over the world. Still, while in the rest of the world the debate is focused on the library social value, in Italy “welfare” have become a key word, suggesting that public libraries could be (or rather should be) considered as part of the welfare state. After trying to clarify what we talk about when we talk about “welfare” and “library”, the article shows how the crisis often becomes an opportunity to reflect on the future of libraries, and how – in this future – the social role of the library seems to play a leading part. Yet, the question is whether this social role could or rather should be considered as welfare.