Providing effective assistance to migrants is a complex challenge that requires coordination across institutions at multiple levels. Support must be offered not only systemically – in the form of refugee-friendly legal frameworks – but also by nongovernmental organizations and at the local level. It is at this local level that libraries have begun to play a significant role.
Many libraries have launched a wide range of initiatives to support people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Researchers from an international team led by Prof. Jamie Johnston of Oslo Metropolitan University* set out to examine the new roles these institutions have assumed in recent years. The Polish part of the study is led by Prof. Anna Mierzecka from the Faculty of Journalism, Information, and Book Studies at the University of Warsaw.
Support in Ukrainian
The study examined the role libraries played during the influx of war refugees from Ukraine. Initially, the research focused on Poland and Hungary. In the first quarter of 2023, interviews were conducted with library directors and librarians at several institutions in both countries.
Respondents in both countries reported that, in the early stages of the war, libraries served as key information points, advising refugees on where to seek help. They provided access to computers and the internet, as well as printing, copying, and phone-charging facilities. Reading rooms and lending areas were adapted into spaces for rest and respite, offering an alternative to the often crowded and overcrowded apartments where many refugees were staying.
Libraries also organized psychological consultations – especially for children – and made information available in Ukrainian.
Support for immigrants extended to traditional library services as well. Although the Ukrainian book market faced serious disruption after the outbreak of the war, including the breakdown of existing distribution channels, libraries were still able to ensure access to books in refugees’ native language for both children and adults.
Sensitivity to migration
“Our findings show that library resources are being used in remarkably broad ways, but their role goes beyond simply supporting migrant communities. It’s important to move beyond viewing the library solely as a physical space. A public library – and perhaps above all its staff – operates within the broader local community, understood as a social, cultural, and educational environment. In this context, it is only natural that libraries respond flexibly to community needs and support local development. This calls for a highly diverse and multifaceted approach,” says Prof. Anna Mierzecka.
In the context of a migration crisis, such efforts may also include raising awareness among local residents about the challenges faced by refugees and the realities of displacement.
A new kind of library
During the refugee crisis, libraries transformed into multifunctional centers – offering shelter and support ranging from emergency assistance to educational programs such as language classes, while also facilitating cultural integration.
However, their role did not end with meeting the immediate needs of migrants from Ukraine. Nor did the work of the international research team examining these changes.
“Our extended study now includes Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Sweden. We are also drawing on experiences from other parts of the world. One clear trend is that public library services are becoming so diverse that it is increasingly difficult to define universal standards. In Scandinavian countries, for example, local communities often take the lead in shaping library activities. Elsewhere, libraries are involved in mediating relations between citizens and the state or in creating spaces for political dialogue that strengthen democratic principles. In the United States, libraries are engaged in efforts to combat addiction and to support people experiencing homelessness. In all cases, library services are shaped by locally relevant needs,” Prof. Mierzecka emphasizes.
Researchers stress the crucial role libraries play in supporting vulnerable individuals and communities – a role deeply rooted in the long-standing ethos of libraries as inclusive spaces open to all.
*The project is led by Prof. Jamie Johnston of OsloMet University. The Polish research team is headed by Prof. Anna Mierzecka, with contributions from Prof. Małgorzata Kisilowska-Szurmińska and Dr. Magdalena Paul of the Faculty of Journalism, Information, and Book Studies, University of Warsaw.
The article was originally published in Polish on the Serwis Naukowy UW website on April 3, 2025.
