Adult visitors today discover many exciting activities in the libraries, both for learning andleisure. About these opportunities on the 21 st of April, 2022 Lithuanian public libraries of Panevėžys region and several European public libraries were invited to share their experience in the online international seminar “Opportunities for Adult Visitors to Learn and Spend their Free Time in Libraries” which was organized by Panevėžys County Gabrielė etkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library.
Among the speakers of the seminar were the partners of Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library in the European Public Library Cooperation Program NAPLE Sister Libraries: Municipal Public Library in Chrzanow (Poland), Pyhäjoki Municipal Library (Finland) and Huesca Municipal Libraries (Spain).
The library, no matter how modern it is, is still associated with the book and the promotion of reading. A big variety of reading promotion campaigns and other activities was presented in detail by Ana Siewiorek, Director of the Municipal Public Library in Chrzanow (Poland).
Library professionals proved once again that by working creatively, they can reach a wide range of audiences: Heikki Lahnaoja, Manager of the Pyhäjoki Municipal Public Library in Finland, shared an interesting experience in organizing jazz, rock and folk music concerts and poetry readings in the library.
Alicia Rey Lanaspa, Project Manager for Huesca Municipal Libraries (Spain) told about specific programs for adults in the their library: reading clubs, cultural groups, citizen labs, workshops, etc.
During the seminar, a new co-operation contact was established – Alicia Rey Lanaspa, a representative of the Huesca Municipal Library, was pleased to hear that a Philosophy club was operating in Molėtai District Municipal Library (Lithuania) and invited Lithuanian colleagues to co-operate by organizing joint virtual meetings and discussions because colleagues in Huesca Municipal Libraries also organize meetings of a Philosophy club.
During the seminar, public library professionals heard new ideas for their activities, compared their experiences with those of colleagues working in the field of non-formal adult education, and perhaps anticipated the upcoming challenges that awaited them in this work.
No less significant was the fact that the public libraries of Lithuania, Poland, Spain and Finland cooperating in the NAPLE Sister Libraries program could hear and see each other.
Prepared by Virginija Švedienė. Adult Education Coordinator at Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library
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