In the thick of the Congress!
While day one was for getting acquainted with fellow librarians from around the world, enjoying the opening ceremony, and getting into the rhythm of the conference, day two saw delegates move with confidence and purpose, even readier to share their ideas and thoughts on the future of libraries.
Work-life balance remains important, though, and we were glad to see many participants unwound and socialise at the Cultural Evening.
Follow our coverage on Instagram to catch the highlights as they happen, head over to Flickr to access some incredible photos, and read on for some key moments from the second day!
Keynote by Sohail Inayatullah: From Keepers of the Collection, to Innovators in the Gardens, to Truth Tellers
In his keynote on futures thinking, Sohail Inayatullah asked the audience to challenge power and consider scenarios based on disruptions in our libraries.
It was a thought-provoking discussion, which dared library professionals to re-think about who they are, who they want to be, and what can libraries become in the future. That is a fundamental step to ensure the survival of libraries and librarians.
IFLA President’s Session: A User’s Guide to Being Bold
IFLA President Leslie Weir led a discussion on change management and the challenges facing libraries in a rapidly changing world. She encouraged library professionals to work together and, most importantly, to have an active role in shaping the future. In short, Be Bold!
Other speakers touched on the importance of mindset change and preserving carefully the knowledge we need to carry with us forward.
Overall, the session was filled with practical tips on managing change, understanding priorities and building confidence, all while reinforcing a strong sense of community and collective responsibility for the future.
IFLA PressReader International Marketing Award
Every year, IFLA and PressReader celebrate with a special award exceptional library marketing campaigns that showcase innovation, impact, and community engagement.
This year, we received more than 120 outstanding and diverse submissions from around the world! As Leslie Weir pointed out, it was incredibly difficult for the jury to choose the winners.
This year’s first prize was awarded to Hulunbuir Library (China), for their campaign “Reading Through Cold for Warmth”, a simple yet profoundly effective public welfare initiative, transforming climate into both stage and message.
Second place went to Shenzhen Library (China) for “Under Library”, while For My Stories (SeeArt Foundation) from South Korea ended up in third place with “The Third Time Project”.
More Day Two Sessions
Powering Sustainable Change
“Digital transformation should not be viewed separately from environmental sustainability.” – Amahle Khumalo
Library and research infrastructure can be sustainable, and governing bodies need to lead the way in creating a greener future. Presenters examined open science and publishing initiatives that reduce manual load of research profiles, still examining hidden water use and acknowledging the energy use behind AI.
Meet Luka, the World’s Reading Robot for Children’s Libraries
The session introduced Luka, an Al-powered reading robot designed to make reading more engaging for young children.
Shaped like a small owl, it can memorize picture books in advance and read them aloud, helping children to engage with reading and to discover books.
Transforming the information landscape
Speakers from four different countries presented on how their libraries are preserving oral history, supporting communities, and becoming co-creators in local knowledge.
In Japan, Katsunuma Library is collecting and exhibiting local wine traditions and hosting events. In China, the Peking University Library is working with a film festival and young filmmakers to collect sensory details that are missing from traditional archives. In Pakistan, librarians are working to digitize local heritage while developing solutions to the digital divide. And in Singapore, the missing history of Singaporean Tamils has been collecting by volunteers in a digital encyclopedia and supported by the National Library.
Access Reclaimed: Defending Open Knowledge and Underrepresented Perspectives through Subject Cataloguing
Communities experiencing social discrimination need equitable access to information, as subject access, political pressure and changing language increasingly intersect. The session explored these challenges.
The presentations underscored libraries’ responsibility to make space for diverse experiences and histories. By rethinking systems of description and discovery, libraries can help ensure that people see themselves represented, find the knowledge they need, and preserve voices too often marginalised or overlooked.
Cultural Evening
What a night! Even with a day two packed with talks and activities, all delegates, staff and volunteers gathered at the Busan Cinema Center for an evening of culture, singing, dancing, and food.
Throughout the evening, we watched a traditional performance with live percussions by the Busan National Gugak Center, we sang along to pop classics, we were amazed by K-dance crew Just Jerk, and we danced to Korean and international music.
These moments are what make WLIC so special and where the tightest connections are created. We know that twenty years on, friendships formed last night will still be going strong.
Many thanks to the National Committee for organising a truly unforgettable night!
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