Dragana Stolić, PhD

The PHAIDRA Repository as a Research Support Tool for the Dissemination of Knowledge and Information on Migrations: The Outcomes of the Milagro Project

The presentation highlights the efforts of the University Library “Svetozar Marković” in Belgrade, as the central library of the University of Belgrade, in connecting and integrating the activities of the EU-funded project Milagro, within the framework of the CERV program, with its long-standing experience in using the PHAIDRA repository. In this way, the Library has moved beyond its traditional role of supporting academic and research work at the University and has stepped into the field of addressing concrete issues faced by citizens and individuals in need.

The Milagro Project (MIgrants and Local communities Actively GROwing together for inclusive societies) aims to contribute to raising awareness of the state of migration through various project tasks, and, at the same time, to enable cooperation and mutual understanding between migrant and local communities through the exchange of experiences. Together with partners from Italy (NACU, SIS – Siena) and the Netherlands (UCU – Utrecht), the Library has adapted its daily activities—including various forms of education, workshops, and training—to a new target group, thereby expanding its experience and approaches.

All educational activities within the Milagro Project gain a new and essential dimension: practical application. They are closely linked to the everyday challenges of the migrant population, such as recognizing discrimination, providing first aid, or acquiring basic computer skills. As part of the project, an Observatory website was established, with the interactive map as a core component. Though it is named a repository, it is mainly a visual tool for locating civil society organizations that provide assistance to migrants.

Within this context, it became evident that establishing a new PHAIDRA Milagro system —both as a research support tool and as an open science platform— would bring genuine added value to the project, in particular through interoperability. PHAIDRA Milagro functions as a fully developed thematic repository that gathers not only scientific papers, but also reports, data, and electronic resources on the topic of migration. These materials can be preserved long-term, described using a standardized set of metadata, and shared with other systems.

In this way, PHAIDRA Milagro combines research capacities with pressing civic issues, enabling mutual improvement and stronger connections. Ultimately, through these activities, the Library —by stepping into new thematic areas— becomes enriched with new experiences and expanded functions.