Participation and impact assessment for the “Giovani in Biblioteca” project

In recent years, libraries have increasingly embraced a shift towards becoming hubs of social interaction and cultural spaces that are more inclusive of younger generations. To support this transformation, the Biblioteca Civica “Camillo Alliaudi” in Pinerolo (TO) has benefited from the ‘Giovani in Biblioteca’ (Young People in the Library) initiative, funded by the Department for Youth Policies and Universal Civil Service under the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

Through the project “La biblioteca dei giovani per i giovani” (The library of young people for young people), the Biblioteca Alliaudi opens its doors to young people, aiming to reimagine its spaces and activities to better serve and engage its audience. The library seeks to establish itself as a vibrant space where culture, creativity and social interaction seamlessly come together.
But how can we listen to, reach and involve young people to ensure that the library is really more accessible to them and meets their needs? This is where BAM! comes in, with the local support of LOFT Urban Box/YEPP Pinerolo and the partnership network formed around the project.

BAM! has been asked to plan and coordinate an engagement and co-design programme for the young people of Pinerolo, comprising three main phases:

1. Listening: through a questionnaire and two focus groups to gather the opinions and needs of young people in the city aged 14 to 35. The questionnaire is open until 2 February 2025 and available via this link
2. Engagement: a participatory planning experience called “Biblioremix” (based on the French format, similar to the many Museomix events that BAM! has organised over the years) involving two main moments: a creative marathon to generate ideas and come up with new activities for the library, and a series of co-design meetings that will be used to transform the ideas generated during the marathon into tangible projects. The invitation to take part in Biblioremix is open until 2 February 2025 to young people aged 16 to 25. All the details and the application form are available via this link
3. Implementation of the projects and feedback: BAM! will coordinate the group of young people who will take part in the co-design process to ensure that the projects are implemented. In September 2025, the projects will be presented and explained to the public by the young people themselves.

Alongside all these activities, BAM! is responsible for monitoring the project in terms of impact assessment, to measure the change generated by the project.

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