Registration for the 12th Baltic Librarians’ Congress CoBaL is Now Open!
We invite you to register and participate actively in the 12th Baltic Librarians’ Congress CoBaL.
The congress will take place on 2–3 December 2025 at the Radisson Hotel Kaunas (K. Donelaičio St. 27, Kaunas, Lithuania).
Additional program activities will be held in Kaunas on December 1 and in Vilnius on December 4, 2025.
The Congress of Baltic Librarians, organized by librarians from the Baltic states, is the most enduring and regular form of cooperation, held every five years.
The 2025 Congress will focus on the role of libraries in strengthening literacy in society.
Literacy will be discussed in its broadest sense – including reading and writing skills, reading comprehension, critical thinking, computer, information, information and media literacy, as well as civic engagement and democratic participation.
Several congress sessions will be dedicated to the traditional Biržiška Readings, focusing on reading promotion, the development of new reading initiatives, and related activities.
The program also includes panel discussions and creative workshops.
👉 Registration form: https://forms.gle/5DaQHpYsjC8GieZS7
Participation Fees
For 2 days (2–3 December 2025):
For 1 day (2 or 3 December 2025):
Group discounts are available. For details, please contact: lbd.sekretore@gmail.com
Bank details:
Swedbank – Account No. LT847300010187893946
Please indicate “Congress” and the name(s) of the participant(s) in the payment description.
12th Congress of Baltic Librarians CoBaL: Libraries – Key to a Literate Society
The Congress of Baltic Librarians, organized by the librarians of Baltic states, is the most lasting and regular form of co-operation every five years. The initiative came from the Latvian colleagues, and the first congress was held in 1930 in Riga, then in 1935 in Estonia, and 1938 in Lithuania.
Subsequently, a 56-year forced break occurred because joint activities of professional organizations were prohibited during the Soviet period. Thirty years ago, after the restoration of independence, librarians associations were restored in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and the tradition of congresses was re-established.
Historically, the congress has grown to be a significant form of cross-border cooperation between the associations of Baltic librarians. It plays a vital role in the regional exchange of information.
In 1991, the 4th Congress was held again in Riga. Since then, it has occurred every five years in a different Baltic country. In 2025, it is again Lithuania’s turn to host the congress.
2025
Lithuanian Librarian’s Association (LBD) is organizing the 12th Congress of Baltic Librarians “Libraries – Key to a Literate Society” on 2nd–3rd December 2025 in Kaunas, Lithuania. This year’s congress focuses mainly on the following topics:
- Literacy promotion activities in libraries
- Reading promotion
- Media and information literacy
- Technologies in libraries
- Democracy projects
- SDG in libraries
- Professional librarian in a new world
- How to measure the impact of library accessibility.
The official statement – the Baltic Libraries Literacy Manifesto – will be presented during the congress.
The congress of 2025 will take place in Lithuania, Kaunas; colleagues from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Ukraine, and other countries are sharing their knowledge via presentations.
The congress has always been essential for colleagues to meet in person and gather in working groups.