A presentation by Mila Gascó-Hernandez (University at Albany). This event is part of the Digital Governance Research Colloquium hosted by the Centre for Digital Governance.
Abstract: Over the past few decades, the concept “smart city” has emerged as a strategy to help cities face the challenges of contemporary urban governance, improve urban environments, increase cities’ competitiveness, and cope with environmental risks. Despite the high interest of scholars and practitioners in smart cities, most of the current literature and reports have mainly discussed definitions and frameworks, which aim at better understanding smart cities and suggesting how they can contribute to the wellbeing of citizens. Most of them acknowledge the involvement of different actors in the development of smart cities, although they address such participation using different concepts, models, and approaches. One frequently used framework is the quadruple helix model, which refers to the networked relationships among universities, industry partners, governments, and the civil society. Despite the recognition of the importance of citizens and civic organisations in the development of smart cities, the literature is still scarce in empirical studies that address how citizen engagement may take place. Further, studies hardly explore the involvement of other social actors and, in particular, of community-rooted organisations that, as anchor institutions in their communities, could actually enable the participation of citizens and help form a comprehensive collaborative model to develop smart city initiatives. Based on more than 50 interviews with public libraries and local government staff in the US cities of Chicago, IL, Saratoga Springs, NY, Chattanooga, TN, and Ignacio, CO, and the cities of Johannesburg (South Africa), Sant Cugat (Spain), Aarhus (Denmark), and Medellin (Colombia), as well as information collected through a survey from US cities and public libraries, my presentation will address how public libraries are becoming key actors in the development of smart cities. I will show that public libraries are already contributing to the development of smart cities by 1) developing smart citizens, 2) enabling citizen participation, and 3) providing an innovation environment. I will discuss implications for smart city managers that may see in public libraries a partner rooted in and trusted by the community and will present the Public Libraries in Smart Cities and Communities Toolbox, that will support the efforts of public libraries in becoming strategic partners in smart city development.
Mila Gasco-Hernandez holds a MBA and a Ph. D. in public policy evaluation. She is the Research Director at the Center for Technology in Government as well as an Associate Professor at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, both at the University at Albany – SUNY. Before joining SUNY, Dr. Gasco-Hernandez served as a senior researcher at the Institute of Governance and Public Management (currently known as ESADEgov - Center for Public Governance) and the Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Management, both at ESADE Business & Law School in Spain.
The main general research question at the center of Dr. Gasco-Hernandez’s research agenda is: why and how does technology-driven innovation happen in the public sector? Most of her research in the last six years has focused on the topics of open government, public sector innovation, smart cities and communities, telework, and artificial intelligence in government. In these areas, she has published six books, more than 25 peer-reviewed articles, 16 peer-reviewed book chapters, and more than 40 peer-reviewed conference papers. She has been awarded more than 15 grants in external funding competitive calls and more than 25 consultancy/applied research projects.
This event is moderated by Joanna Bryson, Professor of Ethics and Technology at the Hertie School.
Please note prior registration is required. Registered atendees will receive the login details via email prior to the event.
