70 years after the founding of the first American-style public library in Germany, the Americas Memorial Library, public libraries increasingly see themselves as a ‘third place’: a place of encounter, learning and inspiration, as a place of social, cultural and digital participation.

The question is, how do public libraries implement this claim of the Third Place? What are the possibilities to strengthen the role of libraries as places of participation and social cohesion, as places of lived democracy? In view of the new threats to democracy posed by increasing distrust of democracy, misanthropic attitudes and crisis uncertainty, public libraries must urgently address the question of how they can fulfil their role in preserving and strengthening democracy today and in the future.

Together with our guest Kai-Michael Sprenger, Director of the newly founded Foundation Places of Democracy History, we discuss the then, present and future role of public libraries as places of democracy. Kai-Michael Sprenger's contribution considers public libraries as places in the history of democracy. It is supplemented by short inputs from the studies and practical work of Minor and discussed in the circle of invited experts.

This lecture takes place in cooperation with the project Libraries as Places in the History of Democracy instead.

To our guest

Kai-Michael Sprenger has been Director of the Federal Foundation for the History of German Democracy since October 2023. He came to the newly founded Federal Foundation through his experience as Head of Unit for Archives, Libraries, Non-State Museums, State History and Homeland Care at the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry for Family Affairs, Women, Culture and Integration. He has a high level of expertise as a cultural consultant, art consultant and archivist. His doctorate in medieval national history and, among other things, his stay as a research assistant at the German Historical Institute in Rome deepened his skills in the history sciences.

To the Labora Lectures

With the Labora lectures brings the Minor – Labora experts from science, politics and practice into an intensive exchange on issues and social developments that affect the shaping of the future of our society. We aim at mutual learning on innovative ideas, methods and approaches to improve the situation of marginalized or disadvantaged groups. We welcome the guests with a special wine, other drinks and some food that accompanies the evening in the fireplace room. The Labora lectures are organised and implemented in cooperation with Minor – Project Kontor for Education and Research, Minor – Science Society and La Red – Networking and Integration. 

The Labora lectures It's called Chatham House Rules.