Abstract Libraries in general, and public libraries specifically, are social institutions. It is their role and function to educate, inculcate values and provide recreational opportunities to the community. The success of a democratic political system depends on community involvement in decision making. The role of public libraries in political discourse was assessed with three approaches. Firstly, the geographical characteristics of public library communities were explored using Geographical Information System (GIS) methods. Secondly, the resources, services and activities of public libraries were identified. Thirdly, community perspectives were explored using the five aspects of the “Spectrum of Public Participation” of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2). The results from all three approaches indicate that the public libraries of Islamabad do not facilitate opportunities for the community to be consulted, empowered or involved in political discourse. Analysis of GIS characteristics, library services and community perspectives suggests that improvements in planning and commitment (especially infrastructure, budget and human resources) would enable public libraries to increase opportunities for Islamabad communities to engage in political discourse.

中文翻译：

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政治话语：公共图书馆是沃土吗？

摘要 一般而言，图书馆，特别是公共图书馆，是社会机构。他们的角色和职能是教育、灌输价值观并为社区提供娱乐机会。民主政治制度的成功取决于社区参与决策。公共图书馆在政治话语中的作用通过三种方法进行评估。首先，利用地理信息系统（GIS）方法探索公共图书馆社区的地理特征。其次，确定了公共图书馆的资源、服务和活动。第三，使用国际公众参与协会（IAP2）的“公众参与范围”的五个方面来探索社区观点。所有三种方法的结果表明，伊斯兰堡的公共图书馆没有为社区提供咨询、授权或参与政治话语的机会。对 GIS 特征、图书馆服务和社区观点的分析表明，规划和承诺（尤其是基础设施、预算和人力资源）的改进将使公共图书馆能够增加伊斯兰堡社区参与政治话语的机会。