Programme

After you complete your registration you will have a chance to enjoy big breakfast.

Visiting from Oslo, Norway, on behalf of Oslo’s 24 Deichman libraries, Kristina and Mariann will take you on a journey of how we think and work with children and youth.

This day will provide concrete examples of alternative methods and ways of learning and collaborating that create radical transformation in both the new generation as well as the staff working in Deichman’s libraries.

We will touch on a variety of subjects from creativity, building hope and skills, play as a method of growing and interacting, the role of literature and art, youth participation and empowerment as well as the role of libraries and other cultural venues as innovative sites of learning, thriving and a key piece in maintaining and developing democracies.

We will also touch upon the role of libraries forward on, and how programs and initiatives are rooted in both individual and organisational efforts to contribute to systemic change, propelled by feelings of both frustration and hope. We do experience lack of transformative societal change, growing polarisation between groups and seemingly non-engagement among the young generation. How to keep turning frustration and friction into opportunities for change?

The lecture will give you an overview on how the Build the Change Idea is transported in different libraries of different countries to the children. Which subjects are in focus and how can libraries help develop LEGO`s idea of “Learning through play” with the “Build the Change” (BtC)– program. For Example, Berlin even offers a mobile solution with the MakerMobil (a driving Makerspace) to bring LEGO ideas into the city. At festivals or event days such as the “Long Night of Science” or the Long Night of Libraries, the mobile unit provides a space to get creative. In addition, we will also have a look at supporting activities like “SixBricks”, which helps children train and develop their memory, communication, teamwork, movement and creativity and how we can develop new Ideas with the BtC-Method “immerse - create – share”.

A guide to contemporary literature is a book that approaches the novel Gypsy, But the Fairest of Them All by Kristian Novak from various perspectives, through the eyes and writings of distinguished experts, authors, and readers. The editor of the book, Kruno Lokotar, conceived the Platina series as a collection of publications intended to encourage and accelerate the process of understanding contemporary Croatian literature.
Learning through play, that is, encouraging reading through the gamification of books, is an entertaining way to examine reading competence and concentration. Gamification refers to the application of game elements and mechanics in contexts that are not inherently games. Playing offers fun and challenge during the game itself, as well as a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment upon completion — much like reading. However, games dominate the entertainment industry. In an effort to return reading to the realm of entertainment, the game Ciganin, ali igra was created by Želimir Periš and Natalija Miletić.
Natalija Miletić will present both the Guide and the Game, in the hope that all participants of the librarians’ (un)conference kcConnect will play Ciganin, ali igra.

In the panel “Reading in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” we will discuss the future of reading, critical thinking, and the role of education in a time of rapid technological advancement. The conversation will address public policy and the city’s cultural development, clarify technological changes and their implications, and reflect on the impact of artificial intelligence on the interpretation and value of literature. We will also comment on the experiences of the younger generation growing up with digital tools, as well as share personal reading experiences.

The aim of the workshop “Capabilities, Strengths, and Weaknesses of Large Language Models” is to provide participants with a fundamental understanding of large language models such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, and to enable their safe and effective use in everyday work.
Participants will learn to recognize the advantages and limitations of these tools and understand in which situations they are particularly useful, as well as when they should be approached with caution. They will also gain practical knowledge about applying these tools to solve various tasks and about optimizing communication with models through proper prompt design.

And what the children can do, participants do also in a workshop. We look at the problems the world is facing like how we can help animals to survive climate change or how can cities become more creative? We search for solutions, expressing ideas and building a piece of change to “Build the Change” and discussing the possibilities of the program for public libraries together.

Moderator Ivica Barać
Ivica Barać was born in Koprivnica, where - he hopes - in the very distant future, he will end his worldly story. In the meantime, he tries to write down everything that happens around him and be a chronicler of the important and the unimportant. As a hobbyist, he tries to educate and confuse the many knowledge-hungry men and women of Koprivnica through fun and games on increasingly popular pub quizzes.

If you were late for registration and came on the second day just register and eat some breakfast.

The presentation will show that reading literacy is a key component of national security, as it supports critical thinking, an informed citizenry, and the resilience of democracy. In the context of digital transformation, political instability, linguistic shifts, and declining literacy levels, it highlights reading longer texts as a fundamental cognitive and social competence necessary for countering disinformation, understanding complexity, and maintaining stable and secure societies.

More than 30 years ago, the American sociologist Ray Oldenburg introduced the concept of the third place as a space that, along with home and work, shapes the identity of people and their communities.
In the midst of digitalization and the transformation of society, the role of libraries is changing. It is becoming a place of meeting, learning and experimentation. With its modular space and activities, the Goethe-Institut Croatia library wants to present itself as a third place – a place where users come of their own free will, to spend time there, acquire new skills, deepen existing knowledge, play analog or digital (board) games or simply study, read a book or watch a film. In this way, it becomes a space that does not keep knowledge on shelves, but encourages the active exchange of knowledge through mutual encounters and learning, while at the same time becoming a common good that the community cares about.
In this lecture, I will present the activities and space of the Goethe-Institut Croatia library: from the lending of makerspace sets, workshops on sustainable lifestyles and clothing exchanges, through the "Classroom in the Library" program and the shared garden, to Lightning Talks.

We’re opening the kitchen doors while things are still a bit chaotic and interesting. We’ll talk about everything currently cooking at IFLA: from the upcoming elections (how to get onto committees and what happens next), through internal workshops (yes, we also have meetings about meetings!), to plans for IFLA100 and the 2027 conference in London.
We’ll also take a look at the new CRM (what it’s for and what you get out of it), as well as the ongoing work on rethinking the future of committees, volunteering, and membership.
There are no finished recipes, no official “change announcements”—just open questions, ideas, and space for you to get involved and add your own spices… while everything is still on a low simmer. :)

The "Flower Therapy" workshop brings a short break from the daily rhythm through creative and relaxing work with flowers and natural materials. Through simple flower arrangement techniques, participants will explore how colors, scents, and the creative process can foster a sense of calm, inspiration, and personal well-being.

Through this workshop, you will become familiar with the working methods of a drama studio, the conceptualization of a drama workshop session, and some exercises and situations in which they are useful. You will learn how to develop concentration, creativity, expression, observation, listening, and more through play and fun, so that you too will have the tools needed to conduct similar workshops and thereby enrich the content in your library, spark inspiration among your fellow citizens, and educate new generations of lovers of theatre and literary art.
But how do you moderate a program if you are afraid of public speaking? “What if I mess up? What if I forget? What if I freeze? What if…?” Find out how to face this challenge and whether it really helps to imagine that everyone in the audience is naked.
And all of this is best learned through participation, learning by doing, so that the student becomes the teacher. From ice-breakers and warm-ups, through energizers and relaxation, to improvisation and building confidence.