Workbook: Unlocking EU resources for public libraries - A practical guide to accessing EU funding
Public libraries are the heart of our communities, and can play a key role in achieving the European priorities of inclusion, digital upskilling, democratic participation, and green transition. fostering education, inclusivity, and cultural exchange. Public libraries are eligible institutions to benefit from various EU funding programmes for education, culture, research, and mobility initiatives. However, for many, often smaller, organisations, it can be complicated to get involved into EU projects, and accessing EU funding can often seem daunting. We’re here to change that.
The workbook: Unlocking EU resources for public libraries
The Resourcing Libraries (RL:EU) workbook, ‘Unlocking EU resources for public libraries: A practical guide to accessing EU funding’, is designed to be a comprehensive guide in navigating the complex landscape of EU grants and resources tailored for public libraries. We understand the difficulties public libraries face in accessing EU funding. The application process can be complex, time-consuming, and competitive. Our workbook addresses these challenges head-on by providing:
- Step-by-step guidance: Clear instructions on how to navigate the application writing process, and project implementation and evaluation
- Practical tips: Advice from experts in the field on how to get involved, as well as from library professionals from our European network on their experience in European projects
- Case Studies: Real-life examples of EU projects involving public libraries across Europe
- Templates and tools: Ready-to-use templates, tools, and resources to simplify your work
This workbook introduces the different EU funding programmes, and provides a step-by-step guide into designing and implementing an EU project. First, the workbook will take you through the European library landscape and explain why EU policies matter for public libraries. Then, we will present relevant EU funding programmes. The more practically oriented sections will take you through the process of EU project design, implementation and evaluation and contain resources and tools you can use. To provide you with inspiration for future collaboration ideas, we showcase several EU projects involving libraries. Finally, we also provide a collection of digital EU resources and a glossary of relevant terms.
Click here to download the workbook
Launch of the workbook: Breakfast Session at the Muntpunt Library
On June 25, 2024, Public Libraries 2030 and Muntpunt co-hosted the first RL:EU Multiplier Event in Brussels’ Muntpunt Library. Organised in the format of a ‘Breakfast Session’, participants had the opportunity to learn more about funding opportunities at European level, and discuss the challenges they face in accessing EU programmes. The session began with a presentation of the Resourcing Libraries project, and the launch of the ‘RL:EU Workbook ‘Unlocking resources for public libraries: A practical guide to accessing EU funds’ by PL2030.
The event was unique in bringing together both French and Flemish speaking Belgian libraries from across Brussels (as well as the north of France!), and the interactive format of the session allowed for sharing of experiences, challenges, and understanding each others’ local contexts. Bringing together both Flemish and French-speaking Belgian public libraries was a powerful move to bridge the language divide, and allow for both groups to exchange on the common challenges they face, the work they are doing, and what they would like to get involved in.
About RL:EU
The ‘RL:EU: Connecting libraries to EU resources’ project aims to help Europe’s public libraries unlock EU resources. This Erasmus+ project brings together Public Libraries 2030, EBLIDA, and PiNA to develop an approach that helps public libraries and librarians learn about EU initiatives and programmes and access EU funding. Concretely, the project has hosted a series of local information events across Europe on the different EU programmes, developed policy recommendation, organised a Europen conference in Lisbon in April 2024, and has also organised group coachings and one-to-one mentoring sessions. All the resources and best practices collected can be found on the RL:EU project website.
The article was first published on the RL:EU website.
