Biblioteche in trasformazione: dal digitale come strumento al digitale come infrastruttura

his paper examines the digital transformation of libraries as a systemic process that affects organizational structures, institutional missions, and relationships with users. It moves beyond a view of digital transformation as merely the adoption of technologies and online services. Drawing on research conducted by the BIBLAB laboratory at Sapienza University of Rome, the paper discusses key challenges affecting the Italian library sector, including uneven development of digital services and persistent limitations in resources, skills, and strategic vision. Libraries are interpreted as civic knowledge infrastructures, while literacies—and particularly digital literacy—are framed as essential conditions for participation in contemporary society. Evidence from the Sapere Digitale project and other research initiatives is used to explore the relationship between librarians, professional training, and digital transformation. Finally, the paper proposes an integrated research–training–development framework as a preliminary methodological model for supporting informed and socially impactful processes of digital transformation in libraries.