Welcome to the November 2023 LIBER Mailing
This mailing is sent directly to LIBER Libraries and is posted publicly on the LIBER website. Please feel free to share this Mailing with others.
This is the final LIBER mailing of 2023. A year in which we – amongst many other things – launched the new 2023 – 2027 LIBER Strategy, grew as a network, and organised together with our local hosts successful events such as the Annual Conference in Budapest and the Winter Event in Florence. Thanks to so many of you participating in our Working Groups, organising webinars, presentations and workshops, and working on projects, LIBER thrives as a community. We wish you all a happy new year and hope to see many of you again in 2024!
LIBER is thrilled to introduce its newest Participants to the network. Over the past months, we welcomed:
- KHAS Information Center , Turkey
- RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History , The Netherlands
- Medizinische Bibliothek , Germany
- Universitätsbibliothek der Veterinärmedizinischen, Austria
- University of Piraeus Library, Greece
LIBER WINTER EVENT 2023 – THANK YOU!
In a picturesque venue overlooking the historic city of Florence, the LIBER Winter Event 2023 gathered over 100 participants for two days of intense discussion on the matters at the heart of our research library community. Delegates from across Europe came together to deliberate and share knowledge on topics including library leadership, data management services, Citizen Science, AI, and the creation of library spaces.
Thank you to our hosts at the European University Institute, the workshop organisers and keynote speaker, and all the participants whose willingness to share and discuss made the event a success.
Look out for the outputs of the discussions held at the Winter Event, coming soon on the LIBER website.
LIBER EVENTS 2024
LIBER 2024: Limassol
LIBER’s 2024 Annual Conference will be held from 3 to 5 July 2023 in Limassol, Cyprus! The Call for Proposals is now Open. The theme of the 2024 Conference will be: ‘State-of-the-art libraries in the service of science and society’. We welcome your proposals for presentations, posters and panel sessions that fit this theme. Read the full Call here. Or learn more about LIBER 2024 on the conference website.
LIBER Architecture Working group (LAG) Seminar
The LIBER Architecture Group (LAG) Seminar 2024 will take place at the Royal Library of Belgium, Brussels. The event will be held over three days from the 24-26 of April 2024. This year, the Seminar will follow the theme: “Building Bridges: Libraries as Engaged and Trusted Hubs.” Registrations are now open! Book your early bird ticket until 15 February 2024.
The LIBER Architecture Working Group is looking for new library projects in Europe to be presented at the seminar. Submit your proposal to have the chance to present on the 26 April 2024 at the LAG Seminar.
Read more about the topics of interest and how to submit your proposal on the LAG Seminar page.
LIBER Journées: Application Deadline Extended
Applications for the LIBER Journées 2024 have been extended! Apply now to join the Journées programme (29-31 May 2024), which is designed for 20-25 library directors who are looking ahead at delivering strategic change at their institutions. The 2024 edition will be held in collaboration with the Library of the Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany. The theme will be Trusted Leadership in Challenging Times. Learn more, including details on how to apply, here.
New deadline for applications: 30th December.
Questions? Please contact Working Group member Najmeh Shaghaei via email at: nas@bib.sdu.dk.
Masterclass on Citizen Science for Library Executives
LIBER and the ECSA Academy will run a new Masterclass for Library Executives. The two-day programme will be held in-person in Paris from 7-8 May 2024 and invites 20 library leaders who wish to kickstart Citizen Science at their institutions. Learn the concepts of Citizen Science, how to connect with external and internal stakeholders, and employ change management to facilitate Citizen Science integration. Read more and learn how to apply here
EVALUATION EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAMME
The Emerging Leaders Programme is 10 years old! Six cohorts of library leaders have graduated and the Programme has an enviable reputation in the sector, garnering praise for LIBER’s pioneering work in this area, as well as exceptionally positive feedback from participants.
The call for Cohort 7 applicants will come out in the summer 2024 for a 2025 start. Keep an eye on LIBER communication channels for news.
In the meantime, the LIBER Leadership Programmes Working Group, who oversee the Programme, are undertaking a review to ensure that it continues to serve the community and equip future leaders with the skills, experiences and knowledge they need. Part of that review is a survey of Emerging Leaders alumni since the beginning of the Programme. A random sample of alumni will be mailed a survey over the coming weeks.
If you are an alumni of the Programme and receive a survey, please do complete it! It won’t take too long and your responses will be crucial in shaping the next 10 years of the Programme and ensuring its continuing success. Thank you in advance on behalf of the review team, the Working Group and LIBER.
Catriona Cannon, Co-chair, Leadership Programmes Working Group, LIBER and Librarian and Programme Director, Library Transformation Programme, University of London
The Leadership Working Group is also evaluating the possibility for a LIBER Mid-managers Training Programme. Help us to evaluate the potential for such a programme by taking part in this short survey.
LIBER EXECUTIVE BOARD
At their October meetings, the LIBER Executive Board formally approved the Minutes of the July 2023 Executive Board meetings. The Minutes of the October Executive Board Meetings are expected to be approved in February 2024. Ahead of the February meetings, they will be published here.
MEMBERSHIP FEES 2024
The LIBER Annual Contribution Fees for 2024 have been reviewed and proposed to the Meeting of Participants during the Annual Conference in July 2023. Please find the fees for 2024 here.
LIBER explores the options to further secure the financial stability of the organisation. To facilitate this, an additional proposal was adopted at the same meeting that institutes will be given the opportunity to increase their membership fee for 2024 on a voluntary basis. Members will be informed about this Supportive Membership Fee shortly.
We also like to remind those institutes who have not paid their membership fee for 2023 to do so as soon as possible.
IN MEMORY OF SARAH JONES
LIBER is saddened by the passing of EOSC Engagement Manager at GEANT, Sarah Jones. Many within the LIBER network may have worked with or alongside Sarah in her pursuit of Open Science. We wish everyone who knew and worked with Sarah strength during this challenging time.
Statement from GÉANT, and access to condolence book
If you have any queries about the content of this mailing, or if there is any further information that we can provide, please let us know via email (liber@libereurope.org).
Kind regards,
Anja Smit
Secretary-General
LIBER EUROPE