Librarians and Open Knowledge: Contribution to Education in the Domain of Open Science

Abstract

This paper examines the role of librarian education in the field of Open Science, with particular focus on Citizen Science (CS) and Open Educational Resources (OER). The theoretical section presents the fundamental concepts of open science, its key principles, and the regulatory framework in Serbia, as well as the importance of libraries as intermediaries in its implementation. Special attention is devoted to the role of librarians in promoting citizen science and in the development and dissemination of OER. The empirical portion of the study analyzes the outcomes of two accredited professional development programs for librarians conducted between 2023 and 2026. A comparative analysis reveals an increase in participants’ awareness of open science, as well as differences in educational outcomes depending on the topic and prior knowledge of participants. The results indicate a high level of participant satisfaction and underscore the significance of such programs for developing competencies and strengthening the role of libraries in the contemporary scientific and educational environment.

Keywords: Open Science; Citizen Science (CS); Open Educational Resources (OER); librarians; professional development; accredited seminars.