Participation of the Chania Municipal Library in the EBLIDA Conference in Athens
The EBLIDA Conference, organized by the Goethe-Institut with the support of the City of Athens and the Association of Greek Librarians & Information Scientists (AGLIS), was held in Athens from June 14 to 16, 2022, with participation also from the Chania Municipal Library.
EBLIDA (European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations) is the European association representing libraries, information, documentation, and archives.
The Chania Municipal Library was represented by Ms. Vivi Choudalaki, Ms. Areti Karveli, and Ms. Argyris Anastasopoulou, along with library representatives from across Europe. The conference focused on European legislation concerning libraries, copyright and licensing issues, as well as the role of libraries in society and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals in Europe.
The Head of the Municipal Libraries of Chania, Ms. Choudalaki, underlined the importance of collaboration between European and Greek libraries and the benefits of exchange, innovation, and partnership. As she noted: “We are living in an era in which libraries open their doors to inclusive dialogue and discussion. Libraries are meeting places, cultural centers, at the very heart of local communities.”
A key conclusion highlighted during the conference was that the interaction between institutions, libraries, and both national and European public authorities—when they open channels of communication to present policies and goals—contributes to the vitality and prosperity of libraries, and by extension, to a sustainable, democratic, and just society.
The conference was also attended by, among others: the Mayor of Athens, Mr. Kostas Bakoyannis; Deputy Minister of Education, Mr. Angelos Syrigos; Special Secretary of the Ministry of Development and Investments, Ms. Niki Dandolou; Chair of the General Council of Libraries, Ms. Tonia Arahova; and Director of Future Library, Mr. Ioannis Trohopoulos.
