fREAD yourself. Women in shelters and the impact of libraries project is an ideal continuation of the activities carried out during the Lib(e)riamoci project. fREAD yoursefl è stato selezionato come vincitore del bando internazionale The Europe Challenge 2024: Libraries, Communities and Democracy. The Europe Challenge is an annual programme that brings together teams from libraries and communities across Europe to address social isolation, inequality, disinformation, climate crises and other local challenges by developing, sharing and implementing creative solutions with support from the European Cultural Foundation and its partners.

A large number of women in shelters come from ethnic minorities and need support in learning the national language, how to gain and to maintain economic independence, and how to deal with everyday bureaucracies. The basic idea is to provide them with some basic education by spending time together. All the planned actions are eminently educational and cultural in nature and aim at the development of people through the transfer and transformation of knowledge. 

The information literacy meetings, declined according to the needs and skills of the women to whom they will be addressed, also tend to strengthen empowerment, since properly informed people are also more responsible and aware. Italian courses for women aim to make them autonomous in daily life, but they also promote knowledge of local culture, to which the organization of guided visits to touristic destinations or museums contributes.

Among the activities carried out by the Sapienza women librarians are

• Italian language classes, also through the use of food and different ingredients to enhance both the culture of origin and knowledge of the Italian one
• visits to museums and theatre performances, with a preference for occasions that allow social interaction and sharing
• visits to cultural or tourist venues to offer moments of encounter with beauty 
• theatre workshops
• informal training in information literacy and computer skills.

The outcomes of the project will be presented on 26 September 2024, during the If Librarians Ran Europe – The Amsterdam Summit of The Europe Challenge, will bring together library professionals, policymakers, and community leaders in Amsterdam to explore how libraries are driving change across Europe.