 |
Polarisation is one of the most relevant topics in society, and it even impacts libraries and their duties. Libraries are one of the critical services of society. According to the Public Libraries Act, libraries must promote equal opportunities for everyone to access education and culture and promote the availability and use of information, active citizenship, democracy and freedom of expression. All these aspects are related to polarisation in various ways. |
The Nordic Libraries Annual 2025 examines polarisation as a phenomenon from different perspectives and highlights Nordic examples of how libraries can prevent polarisation. We will hear examples from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and, of course, Finland.
The two-day NLA 2025 will be held in person in Helsinki this year! The event lasts two days. The first day consists of visits to Oodi and the National Library of Finland (Helsinki) and Vuosaari and Lippulaiva (Espoo). You can attend the Nordic presentations in Oodi in Maijansali on the following day, 30 October.
Place: Maijansali, Oodi, Helsinki, Töölönlahdenkatu 4.
Date: 29 October from 12:00 to 17:30 and 30 October from 8:45 to 16:00
Registration: from 1 September to 20 October
Note! You can sign up separately
-
either for both days or only one day.
-
you can sign up just for the visit to Oodi OR the National Library and just for the bus tour to Vuosaari and Lippulaiva.
-
the visit to the National Library only fits the 15 first to sign up.
The event is free of charge for participants. The Library Channel will have a livestream of the second day’s event in Maijansali.
Programme 29.10:
| 12-13 | Visit to either Oodi or the National Library (transfer to the National Library either by foot or public transport) |
| 13-14 | Lunch / coffee, paid individually |
| 14-17.30 |
Visits to Vuosaari library in Helsinki and Lippulaiva library in Espoo (bus transport). The bus transport departs from Mannerheimaukio (in front of Kiasma, from the charter bus stop) at 14:00. Return to the same place at about 17:30. |
Programme 30.10: (We reserve the right to make changes)
| 8.45–9.15 | Morning coffee |
| 9.15–9.20 | Welcome! Host of the day, Päivi Jokitalo |
| 9.20-9.30 | Welcome words from the Ministry of Education and Culture. |
| 9.30-10.00 | Keynote: Navigating Polarisation: Libraries in the Midst of the Culture War, Hanna Carlsson, Associate Professor, Department of Cultural Sciences, Linnaeus University, Sweden |
| 10.00-10.30 | Libraries in the Age of Polarized Reading. Leea Lakka, postdoctoral researcher, University of Eastern Finland. |
| 10.30–11.00 | The library as an arena for learning democracy. Ida Berge, advisor, The European Wergeland Centre, Norway. |
| 11.00-11.30 | (Presentation title to be added later). Markus Neuvonen, Faktabaari. |
| 11.30-13.00 | Lunch (at everyone's own cost) |
| 13.00-14.20 | Libraries as potential Bridge-Builders in a Polarized Society. Asmund Bertelsen, Democracy Developer and Project Manager at Aarhus Public Libraries. |
| 14.20–14.45 | Afternoon coffee |
| 14.45–15.45 |
Project presentations from Finland - Expanded expertise in public libraries: meet Finland's first library social worker. Teemu Sorila, library social worker, Vaasa City Library. - Enhancing Social and Cultural Dialogue Skills in Southeastern Finland. Noora Oluikpe, coordinator, Regional Development Task of Lahti City Library. - Literacy Project Ahaa! Multiliteracy for Adults. Oulu City Library. |
| 15.45-16.00 |
Last words and safe travels! |
Additional information
Anu Ojaranta, anu.ojaranta@avi.fi
Lena Sundström, lena.sundstrom@avi.fi
Registration and cancellation :
IKT-pedagog Fredrik Åman, fredrik.aman@avi.fi, tfn +358 295 018 619