NEURO-INC – Information Needs and Behaviours of Neurodiverse Users in the Context of Designing Inclusive Services in the Physical Space of Academic Libraries
The project is funded by the National Science Centre within the framework of the agreement No. UMO-2024/55/B/HS2/00694.
Project objectives
The starting point of the project is the idea of inclusivity in library services, understood here as the effort to organise services in a way that makes them accessible and welcoming to the widest possible group of users. While the literature offers numerous proposals for adapting library services to the needs of users with motor and sensory impairments (vision and hearing), the issue of tailoring physical library spaces to the specific needs of neurodiverse users remains rarely addressed. This is partly due to the ambiguity of the concept of neurodiversity itself, which is defined almost exclusively from a medical perspective, rather than in terms of its social implications.
In this context, one of the main cognitive goals of the research is to develop a comprehensive definition of neurodiversity as a characteristic of library users, based on the achievements of the social sciences and particularly focused on information and communication contexts. Other scientific objectives include:
- Developing conceptual and methodological frameworks for studying the information needs and behaviours of neurodiverse library users, including the creation of research tools and procedures, and testing these solutions in practice,
- Determining the relationship between neurodiversity and the information needs and behaviours of academic library users,
- Developing a comprehensive model for designing innovative information services tailored to the needs of neurodiverse library users,
- Preparing guidelines and recommendations for librarians, library managers and designers to effectively adapt existing library services to the needs of neurodiverse users,
The issues addressed in the project are of both scientific and social significance. Achieving the project’s objectives will fill an identified gap in research on library information services, particularly in aspects related to designing inclusive services for neurodiverse users. At the cognitive level, the research will provide comprehensive methodological frameworks for studying the information needs and behaviours of neurodiverse users, as well as observations that will inform the creation of a service design model that includes the needs of this often excluded, yet increasingly visible, user group. At the applied level, the research will contribute to combating social exclusion of neurodiverse individuals in the areas of access to information and education.
Research team
Dr hab. Magdalena Wójcik, Prof. UJ – Associate Professor and current Director of the Institute of Information Studies at the JU Faculty of Management and Social Communication. Participant in international research projects including EMPATIC, NIAGARA, IMPULSE, XPM and Peer. Organiser of international conferences such as ECIL 2023 and Information Practices of Interpreters and Translators 2024. Member of the International Society for Knowledge Organization, the Polish Communication Association (PCA), Stowarzyszenie Profesjonalistów Informacji (Association of Information Professionals) and the Polish Librarians’ Association. For fifteen years, she has been conducting research on library information services, particularly in relation to the use of new technologies in designing and delivering information services for library users.
Dr Paloma Korycińska – Assistant Professor at the JU Institute of Information Studies. Her research focuses primarily on the information needs and behaviours of individuals in crisis situations, including loss, deprivation and information-related grief. Participant in international research projects EMPATIC and XPM. Member of Stowarzyszenie Profesjonalistów Informacji (Association of Information Professionals) and the International Society for Knowledge Organization. Active interpreter and sworn translator, specialising in linguistic mediation in medical, forensic and criminal justice settings. Long-time teacher of interpreting and translation at the JU Chair in Translation Studies. Active information broker specialising in facilitating intercultural communication.
Dr Dorota Rak – Assistant Professor at the JU Institute of Information Studies. Her current research interests are focused on methods of visualisation and co-creation of information in the context of information science and related disciplines. Participant in international research projects such as NIAGARA and XPM, as well as local initiatives including CaLiLab. Member of the organising committees of international academic conferences: Information Behaviour Conference ISIC2018 and European Conference on Information Literacy ECIL2023. Reviewer for international academic journals, certified design thinking moderator, design thinking trainer and social media manager.
Dr Roksana Ulatowska – Assistant Professor at the JU Institute of Public Affairs; PhD in the humanities, discipline: management science. She graduated in psychology from the JU Faculty of Psychology; she also completed postgraduate studies in Social Research Methods in Enterprises. Experienced social researcher and participant in numerous research projects, including 'Attitudes of Polish Youth Towards Jews' and 'Alternative Teaching Methods in Overcoming Ethnic Prejudices'. Her academic interests include social research methodology, particularly user experience methodology and design thinking in management, creativity and co-creation in social innovation, organisational climate and educational leadership, with a special focus on values.
Dr Krzysztof Gerc – Assistant Professor at the JU Institute of Applied Psychology. His research interests are related to mental development of people with disabilities throughout their lives and issues related to supporting the development of children and adolescents with developmental deficits. He also studies organisational culture and its impact and significance in the management processes of education and healthcare, in the broader context of rehabilitation and educational psychology.
Action report for task 1: Analysis of the subject literature
Action report for task 2: Benchmarking
Prezentacja z ogólnopolskiej konferencji naukowej w Krakowie
Prezentacja z ogólnopolskiej konferencji naukowej w Lublinie
Prezentacja z międzynarodowego seminarium
3rd Congress of Higher Education Libraries
The 3rd Congress of Higher Education Libraries took place in Kraków on June 17–19, 2026, focusing on current challenges and development directions for academic libraries. As part of the Congress, Dr. Dorota Rak participated in Panel 7, "UX in the Library," which addressed the role of user experience in designing library services, spaces, and user experiences. Her presentation offered an opportunity to showcase the NEURO-INC project as an example of research combining UX perspectives, neurodiversity, and inclusive library service design. The discussion highlighted that UX in libraries encompasses not only user research and solution design but also a mindset that views the library as a space open to diverse needs, experiences, and ways of utilizing the environment.
Seminar for Librarians at the AGH Main Library
At a seminar scheduled for July 8, 2026, Dr. Roksana Ulatowska and Dr. Dorota Rak will discuss how libraries in selected Nordic countries—visited during NEURO-INC study trips—design spaces, services, and organizational solutions with the needs of neurodivergent individuals in mind. The meeting will begin with an introduction to the concept of universal design, a key element of social responsibility aimed at including diverse user groups in those regions. Subsequently, examples of best practices from Finnish and Norwegian libraries will be presented, demonstrating how these institutions can foster accessibility, user comfort, and inclusive use of resources and services.
Prezentacja AGH 1
Prezentacja AGH 2
Publications:
Wójcik, Magdalena; Krzysztof Gerc, Paloma Korycińska, Dorota Rak, Roksana Ulatowska (2026). Bibliotekarz jako ambasador dostępności. Działania bibliotek na rzecz neuroróżnorodności – wnioski z wizyt studyjnych realizowanych w ramach w ramach projektu NEURO-INC. W: Biblioteka 5.0. Transformacja procesów i usług w środowisku inteligentnych technologii. Warszawa: SBP, s. 223-235.
Wójcik, Magdalena; Krzysztof Gerc, Paloma Korycińska, Dorota Rak, Roksana Ulatowska (2026). Koncepcja projektowania uniwersalnego jako strategia budowania inkluzyjności usług bibliotecznych. Wnioski z realizacji projektu NEURO-INC. Bibliotekarz, nr 9, s. 4-8.
Warsztaty Design Thinking