Highlights of the LIBER Annual Conference 2026

The 55th LIBER Annual Conference took place from 1-3 July 2026 at the NTNU University Library in Trondheim, Norway. In this post, we have compiled the conference highlights and materials from the event.

Reflecting on the beginning of the month, it is worth revisiting the week when the European research library community came together in Trondheim. Under the theme “The Power of Libraries in an Uncertain World,” the conference explored the challenges higher education and research libraries face in today’s rapidly changing international landscape.

During the Opening Ceremony, Julien Roche highlighted the enduring role of university and research libraries as trusted institutions and trusted bridges between academia and society. Throughout the event, a rich programme of sessions and discussions showcased the strength of collaboration across the research library community. LIBER is proud to have welcomed more than 500 participants and industry professionals to this year’s conference, creating a valuable space for knowledge exchange, networking, and collective reflection on the work and impact of research libraries.

We thank all participants, our hosts at NTNU, the LIBER Conference Programme Committee, volunteers, sponsors, and everyone else involved in making the LIBER Annual Conference 2026 a success. See you next year!

LIBER 2026 By the Numbers

• • 526 total attendees
  • 45 Sessions delivered, featuring 11 Plenary Sessions, 15 Parallel Sessions, 12 Workshops
  • 3 Keynote Speeches
  • 23 Poster Presentations
  • 2 Panel Discussions
  • 1 National Insights Session
  • 2 Sport Activities
  • 3 Innovation Award Winners
  • 1 Poster Award Winner
  • 5 LIBER Office and 7 NTNU staff. along with 30 volunteers working behind the scenes to make it all happen

Conference materials

Presentation slides and posters

Session slides and posters will soon be available to download on our LIBER 2026 Zenodo Community.

Conference Photos

View the photographs taken during the conference in the Highlights video above or on the LIBER Flickr channel.

Conference illustrations

Several sessions at LIBER 2026 were represented in the form of visuals by conference illustrator, https://www.thinksketch.com/. Browse through the illustrations below.

Conference recordings

For those who could not join us in Trondheim, several key sessions were live streamed for an online audience. Watch the below sessions back on our YouTube channel:

Opening Ceremony and Keynote Speech (Kenneth Ruud)

Second Keynote Speech (Patrick Weil)

Third Keynote Speech (Jemimah Steinfeld) & Closing Ceremony

Cover photo: Krzysztof Kiersnowski / FotoSmil