During the summer we asked you to come up with ideas and themes for the upcoming conference and you didn’t disappoint. We have received numerous great ideas from you – thank you so much!

Your ideas have made for three main themes that we will work with moving forward:

1. Sustainable Development Goals

• The mission of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is ambitious and libraries all over the world already play a very important role in improving outcomes across the SDGs – shaping more sustainable and responsible societies, not only by educating people, but also by becoming centers for testing new economic models, innovation and technology. Numerous projects and initiatives have already been developed but what is the role for libraries in the future?

2. Democracy

• Libraries are essential in democratic development, learning and literacy. They empower diverse populations and provide spaces and access to knowledge to support people’s own development. But what does it mean in practice? How do we encourage citizens to participate and get engaged in their local community? What can we do to strengthen dialogue between groups and individuals and across societal divides?

3. Play

• Play is not only key to children’s learning, development, confidence and wellbeing, It’s the same for grown-ups. Play unlocks and develops essential skills and improves both wellbeing and quality of life. It’s not only fun to play but also a need – so how can libraries support play and learning through play?

These and many other questions are going to be discussed at Next Library 2023. We are looking forward to seeing you!