Case study · Bologna · Library network
Libraries per tutte e tutti, before you step in.
The Biblioteche di Bologna —from Salaborsa to the Archiginnasio and the neighbourhood branches— place a NAQR code next to their accessibility panel so anyone can hear, in 42 languages, what accessible services await inside.
Bologna
Biblioteche di Bologna municipal network
9 sites
Salaborsa and the neighbourhood library network
Pannello + NAQR
Each library, one accessibility profile
42
Languages with voice playback
The client
Comune di Bologna
— Bologna Biblioteche
The Settore Biblioteche e Welfare culturale of the Comune di Bologna runs the city's library network: the large Biblioteca Salaborsa on Piazza del Nettuno, its children's section Salaborsa Ragazzi, the historic Archiginnasio and the neighbourhood libraries (Lame, Scandellara, Borgo Panigale, Natalia Ginzburg, Tassinari Clò), alongside specialised ones such as the Biblioteca Italiana delle Donne.
Within the Patto per la Lettura di Bologna, funded by CEPELL (Centro per il Libro e la Lettura), the network launches the project "Biblioteche per la città, biblioteche per tutte e tutti" with NaviLens as the accessible layer of every panel: a NAQR (Accessible QR Code) read aloud from several metres away in 42 languages.
§ The challenge
Letting accessibility be heard at the door.
- 01
Knowing what's accessible before going in
A person with a disability —visual, motor or cognitive— needs to know in advance whether the library has a lift, an accessible toilet, a changing table, adapted study stations or activities in their language. Until now that information was scattered across websites and leaflets.
- 02
A network of libraries, not a single site
Bologna ranges from the historic Archiginnasio to neighbourhood branches (Lame, Scandellara, Borgo Panigale, Natalia Ginzburg) and the huge Salaborsa. Each site has a different accessibility level and needs to communicate it consistently.
- 03
Multiple audiences, one reading
The project "Biblioteche per la città, biblioteche per tutte e tutti" called for a tool that serves blind people, older adults, international tourists and families at once —with no screens to install, no paid app, no building works.
§ The solution
One panel, one NAQR, the whole profile by voice.
Each site installs the same "Biblioteche per la città" panel with three blocks (spazi, risorse accessibili, attività) and a green/yellow/red traffic-light per service.
Next to the panel, a NaviLens NAQR (Accessible QR Code) lets anyone —with low vision, blindness or not reading Italian— hear the whole profile in their language with the free NaviLens GO app, from several metres away and without close-up focusing.
§ Timeline
From Salaborsa to the whole network.
- Design
Unified pannello accessibilità
The Settore Biblioteche e Welfare culturale of the Comune di Bologna, together with Bologna Biblioteche, designs a single panel —"Biblioteche per la città, biblioteche per tutte e tutti"— with an availability traffic-light (green/yellow/red) for spazi, risorse and attività.
- Rollout
NAQR next to every panel
Every site installs its accessibility panel together with a NaviLens code (NAQR — Accessible QR Code). Pointing the free NaviLens GO app from several metres away, the user hears the full profile spoken in their language.
- Today
A model replicable for library systems
Salaborsa, Salaborsa Ragazzi, Archiginnasio, Italiana delle Donne, Lame, Scandellara, Tassinari Clò, Borgo Panigale and Natalia Ginzburg now share the same accessible language. A project funded under the Patto per la Lettura di Bologna with CEPELL.
§ Walkthrough
The sedi of the network, one by one.
Main site
Biblioteca Salaborsa
The large civic library on Piazza del Nettuno. The accessibility panel by the entrance announces lift, accessible toilets, internet stations and available activities, read aloud by NaviLens.
Children
Biblioteca Salaborsa Ragazzi
Children's section with SelfCheck and reading room. The accessibility panel lists available resources —books, digital library, games— and the NAQR code lets families hear the information together.
Heritage
Biblioteca dell'Archiginnasio
The historic civic library in the Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio. Next to the frescoed staircase, the panel points out which parts of the historic building are accessible and what services are offered to disabled visitors.
Gender studies
Biblioteca Italiana delle Donne
A library specialised in feminist and gender studies. The accessibility panel covers lift, adapted stations and activities —meetings, reading groups, language courses— with voice playback.
Lame district
Biblioteca Lame
Neighbourhood library in the Navile district. The panel's traffic-light clearly states what's available (books, digital library, games) and where the network is still improving accessibility.
Savena district
Biblioteca Scandellara
Library with a games room, new releases and a lift. The panel next to the lift announces accessible resources and the NAQR reads them aloud from the entrance.
Borgo Panigale district
Biblioteca Borgo Panigale
Local library with family services. The unified profile lets any neighbour —including tourists and foreign residents— check accessibility before going in.
Tassinari Clò district
Biblioteca Tassinari Clò
Library open to cultural and play activities. The panel flags stair-lift, changing table and digital-facilitation activities, all accessible via the NAQR code next to the sign.
San Donato district
Biblioteca Natalia Ginzburg
Neighbourhood library with stack and reading room. The panel by the side entrance uses the traffic-light to communicate which services are available, and NaviLens reads them from several metres away.
Panel close-up
Pannello accessibilità — the shared language
The unified panel "Biblioteche per la città, biblioteche per tutte e tutti" gathers in a single reading: spazi (lift, toilets, stations), risorse accessibili (books, digital library, games) and attività (meetings, reading groups, digital facilitation, language courses), with green/yellow/red traffic-light and NAQR code for voice playback.
§ Results
A library network for everyone.
0 building works
Just one panel and one NAQR sticker per site
Voice + 42 languages
Accessibility profile heard before entering
Whole network
Same language across 9 libraries in the city
§ What they said
“Le Biblioteche di Bologna hanno avviato un percorso per garantire la piena accessibilità di spazi, risorse e attività a tutte le persone, comprese quelle con disabilità. Il progetto «Biblioteche per la città, biblioteche per tutte e tutti» rende riconoscibile, in ogni sede, il livello di accessibilità di servizi e contenuti.”
§ And your destination?
Your destination can also guide in 42 languages.
Tell us about your routes, offices, monuments or galleries. We’ll show you how NaviLens would make your offer accessible —with comparable cases.
