Meet the Candidates for LIBER Executive Board
LIBER is pleased to release video messages of the outstanding candidates running for the three open positions on the LIBER Executive Board.
The LIBER Executive Board leads the strategic direction of the organisation and drives forward our mission to support research libraries throughout Europe. In 2026, six individuals stepped forward as candidates for the Board. On this page, you’ll get to know each candidate and learn about their background, experience, and reasons for applying. Below the videos, you can find short biographies of each candidate. We sincerely thank all candidates for their interest and commitment.
The election for the LIBER Executive Board seats will be held during the Meeting of Participants at the LIBER Annual Conference 2026 in Trondheim, Norway.
| Name | Library | Title | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claudia van Oppen | Maastricht University | Director University Library | The Netherlands |
| Jędrzej Leśniewski | Wrocław University of Science and Technology | Library Director | Poland |
| Katja Hilska-Keinänen | National Library of Finland | Director of Services | Finland |
| Liz Jolly | University College Cork | University Librarian | Ireland |
| Salomé Rohr | CERN | Scientific lnformation Service Group Leader | Switzerland |
| Thomas Chaimbault-Petitjean | Enssib | Senior Librarian, International Relations Officer | France |
Biographies
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Claudia van Oppen
Claudia van Oppen, PhD, is Director at Maastricht University Library. She leads the transformation towards the academic library of the future and aims to provide valuable library services and experiences to the academic community.
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Jędrzej Leśniewski
Jędrzej Leśniewski, PhD, is the Director of Wrocław Tech Library, IFLA Advisory Board on Cultural Heritage member,
expert in academic libraries, digital transformation, research information, and national academic library cooperation. -
Katja Hilska-Keinänen
Katja Hilska-Keinänen is the Director of Services for Availability services in the National Library of Finland. She has worked in the field for over twenty years, gaining vast experience in different research libraries.
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Liz Jolly
Liz Jolly is University Librarian at University College Cork where she leads library teams developing and delivering skills development, support, spaces and resources to enable and enhance the university’s learning, teaching and research, and the Cork University Press.
Liz has a long career in leadership in university and national libraries, most recently as Chief Librarian of the British Library from 2018 to 2025. Immediately prior to this, she served as Director of Library and Information Services and then Director of Student and Library Services at Teesside University. She has experience in a number of other university settings including the University of Salford, the University of East London and London South Bank University and was a Governor of the University of Portsmouth from 2020-2025
Liz is a past chair and trustee of SCONUL (Society of College, National and University Libraries) is a fellow of CILIP, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (FCLIP). She is a Trustee of CILIP, Chair of the Irish University Association Librarians’ Group and a visiting professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at the University of Strathclyde An honorary professor in Teesside University, Liz is an Advance HE Principal Fellow (PFHEA).
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Salomé Rohr
Salomé Rohr is the Leader of the Scientific Information Service at CERN, with 15+ years’ experience across libraries and archives, leading services and teams in a public research setting, fostering access, innovation, and open knowledge ecosystems.
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Thomas Chaimbault-Petitjean
Thomas Chaimbault-Petitjean works as International Relations Officer at Enssib, training LIS leaders. He also co-chairs the LIBER Leadership Working Group and is dedicated to upskilling the community, fostering open science, and driving inclusive library transitions across Europe.
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