Dr. Laura Šimkevičė

Chairwoman of Lithuanian Librarians’ Association; Director of Klaipėda County Ieva Simonaitytė Public Library; Lecturer at Vilnius University Faculty of Communication

Dr. Laura Šimkevičė is the Chairwoman of the Lithuanian Librarians’ Association (since 2023) and Director of the Ieva Simonaitytė Public Library of Klaipėda County in Lithuania. She holds a PhD in Social Sciences from Vilnius University, where she conducted research on the evolving roles of libraries in a networked society. Her academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Library and Information Science and a Master’s degree in Public Relations.

Civic Engagement In Action. Why Lithuanian Librarians Support The Cultural Assembly

The professional community of librarians is becoming increasingly involved in activities that strengthen democratic processes and promote civic engagement. Together with media and information literacy education, this topic is now one of the central priorities on the professional agenda. In Lithuania today, civic expression is no longer just a theoretical concept—librarians are increasingly expected to voice their opinions openly.
Since the very first days of the emerging Cultural Assembly, the library community has actively supported it. Each librarian has had the opportunity to contribute in various ways: signing and sharing petitions, participating in protests, joining artistic performances, preparing posters and statements, and expressing their views on social media. Librarians not only cultivate critical thinking, support democratic values, and encourage civic engagement within society—they also participate directly and actively in these processes themselves.

Date and time: 2025-12-03, 11:10-11:30 (20 min)

Hall: ALFA