Open government and public libraries: Critical analysis of Spanish plans (2012–2029)

Citizen participation is one of the pillars of open government, although many digital technology-based public initiatives feature only a limited form of citizen participation. Just because ad-hoc legislative frameworks on transparency, open data platforms and different channels of participation exist, that does not mean effective participation is guaranteed. The literature has accordingly stressed the importance of mediating institutions that can facilitate access to information, strengthen digital skills and translate open government policies into specific social contexts. Public libraries have been identified as information-providing civic infrastructure that has the capacity to mediate between citizens and government in just that way. This article offers a rough yet systematic overview of the inclusion of public libraries in the five Spanish open government plans covering the years 2012 to 2029. The plans and related institutional materials have been subjected to qualitative analysis to explore whether libraries are seen as actors, spaces or instruments of mediation by Spanish open government strategies. The results show that the plans take only marginal notice of libraries. Plans call for libraries to engage in some indirect participation, but never as an autonomous objective, line or commitment, even though theory provides a solid foundation for strong participation, defining libraries as critical infrastructure for democracy. The article concludes by indicating the need for library professionals to become more visible in open government discussions, as significant actors for the social implementation of open government.