Inclusive Ideals, Institutional Limits: A Decade of Research on Public Libraries and Social Connection

Public libraries are increasingly framed as essential social infrastructure within contexts marked by rising loneliness, inequality, and civic fragmentation. This state-of-the-art knowledge synthesis analyzes 235 peer-reviewed Library and Information Science articles published between 2012 and 2022 to examine how public libraries are conceptualized as sites of social connection and inclusion. The review identifies dominant themes related to belonging, technology, cultural recognition, physical space, and accessibility, while foregrounding structural tensions that complicate libraries’ social role. Findings reveal that libraries foster relational forms of connection, yet operate within institutional, policy, and resource constraints that unevenly shape inclusion, labour, and democratic participation.