ESC-MISINFO is an Erasmus+ project (2025–2027) that helps public libraries support young people in building critical thinking skills around misinformation and disinformation, with a particular focus on climate change. Working across Belgium, Poland and Slovenia, and with the University of Washington, it uses game-based learning to open up conversations with young people about how information is manipulated online.
At its heart are nine public libraries — three in each country — that bring these games and activities directly to young people. Throughout 2026, each library runs sessions of the two localised escape games, Euphorigen Investigation and Chronoshift, with groups aged 15–30, and later takes part in co-creation workshops where young people help design a new game on climate change misinformation. At every library, two staff members are trained to run the games and facilitate the discussions that follow. What the libraries learn along the way feeds back into the ESC-MISINFO toolkit and the resources shared with libraries across Europe.
Here are the libraries taking part, country by country.
Belgium
Muntpunt, Brussels
The Flemish metropolitan library in the heart of Brussels — an information centre for everyone who wants to live, work or study in the city, and a meeting point, with a rich multilingual collection. It welcomes everyone in this multilingual capital, hosting a busy programme of activities, events and exhibitions and drawing many young people to its spaces. It also hosts the project’s peer-learning event, bringing partners and pilot libraries together.
Municipal Library Beringen
A modern cultural and social hub, strongly committed to digital inclusion. It believes it is important to help young people deal critically with the flood of information that comes their way every day. Together with local schools, it hopes to build a society in which young people and adults are better equipped to deal with disinformation. It also sees real added value in working with libraries from other European countries, to exchange experiences and best practices and strengthen its work on information literacy.
Ternat Public Library
A small Flemish Brabant library with big ambitions, Ternat is a modern knowledge and meeting centre for all ages that builds digital and critical thinking skills through its Digipunt, games, talks and heritage projects. As the library puts it, misinformation doesn’t stop at the borders of major cities, so Ternat proudly puts its weight behind the project, hoping to arm its patrons against fake news so that it doesn’t have to remain the problem it is today.
Poland
City Public Library Dąbrowa Górnicza
A modern cultural institution made up of a Main Library and 17 branches, developing along the lines of the “third place” concept. Alongside extensive collections and access to several e-book and digital media platforms, it offers modern services such as around-the-clock book lockers. The library runs a wide range of reading, educational and community projects, and is actively developing sustainability initiatives through its GREENovations programme. In 2026 it was among the highest-rated cultural institutions in the programmes of the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Municipal Library Bytów
A local-government cultural institution that also serves as the county library, housed in a 14th-century Teutonic castle. It runs a rich programme of author meetings, exhibitions, competitions, a Discussion Book Club and grant-funded projects. It also builds residents’ digital and information skills, running digital training for older people and library lessons for schoolchildren. The library already has experience organising both outdoor and library-based games that use digital technology to make learning more engaging.
Municipal Library Nowe Miasto nad Wartą
A local centre for culture, education and information serving its whole municipality, with even a Tourist Information Point. The library delivers grant-funded projects supported by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and runs Discussion Book Clubs and the “Doliwa” local history club. It actively develops the community’s digital and information skills, taking part in FRSI’s Library Development Programme and Academy. The library also brings experience with educational games, including virtual quests.
Slovenia
Public Library Koper
The central regional library of Slovenian Istria, housed in a baroque palace. It provides professional support to libraries across the region and gives local residents access to a rich collection of materials, resources and services. It works mainly with public libraries throughout Slovenia, NGOs and other institutions promoting reading culture and media and digital literacy. It joined the project because of its strong focus on media literacy and the identification of disinformation, one of the key areas in which it has extensive expertise and long-term experience.
Ljubljana City Library
The largest general library in Slovenia, with a wide network of branches, a mobile service and a rich programme of free events for all ages. It cooperates with a wide range of partners — from the public institutions of the Municipality of Ljubljana to NGOs, youth organisations and individuals. The library became a partner because it was drawn to the escape room idea, both as an addition to its programme and as a carrier of an important message for young and old alike.
Kranj City Library
The central regional library for the Gorenjska region. It works with institutions at local, national and international level — from schools, kindergartens and day centres for people with disabilities, to other public libraries and European partners — and is a proud member of PL2030’s Lighthouse Libraries network. It joined the project because media literacy is critically important, especially for young people who often assume that whatever they read is credible, and because escape games are an innovative way to open up the topic.
What connects them is a shared belief that libraries are the right place to help young people navigate today’s information landscape. Stay tuned to follow their journey!