Ten librarians from Valky, Bohodukhiv, Krasnokutsk, and Kolomatske communities in Kharkiv region participated in a study visit to Poland within the framework of the project “From Books to Competences 2.0: Libraries of the Future in Ukrainian Communities”.

The project is implemented by the NGO Local Government Development Centre in cooperation with the Poland–Ukraine Local Government Cooperation Convention (Konwent Współpracy Samorządowej Polska–Ukraina). The aim of the project is to provide Ukrainian librarians with an understanding of modern approaches to library management, the development of cultural and educational services, and the engagement of local residents in community life through library spaces.

During the visit, the participants attended a number of libraries in the Polish cities of Stargard, Kolobrzeg, and Szczecin.

At the Stargard Library, the delegation learnt about the organisation of the library’s work, the range of services available to visitors and the library’s daily activities. Staff at the library shared their own experiences and spoke about innovative solutions and practices that help libraries remain relevant as cultural and educational centres for their communities.

In Kolobrzeg, the Ukrainian librarians visited the Municipal Library and its “Ogrody” branch. The meetings focused on the exchange of experiences of working with different categories of users, the development of modern services, and the introduction of new formats for library activities. The participants noted that they had gained many ideas for future projects and the development of their own libraries.

During the study visit, special attention was paid to the work of the Szczecin City Public Library. The librarians learned about the management structure of the library network, the principles governing the operation of branches, the PROLIB library system, the library’s mobile app, approaches to forming collections, and ensuring the accessibility of services for different groups of users.

The participants also visited the ProMedia branch – one of the key cultural centres within the city’s library network. There, they were shown modern cultural and educational projects for different age groups, including the “Living Library” initiative and examples of cooperation with community and cultural organisations.

Whilst learning about the work of other library branches, the Ukrainian experts learned about the specific aspects of organising daily work with readers, training new staff, running programmes for children, young people and older adults, the activities of book clubs, as well as additional services, including board games and games consoles.

An important part of the programme was learning about the tools that libraries use to communicate with the community. The Polish colleagues shared their experience of organising meetings with authors, literary festivals, masterclasses, and themed events, and also spoke about how they use websites and social media to attract visitors.

As noted by Katarzyna Kławsiuć, Head of the Poland–Ukraine Local Government Cooperation Convention, the Polish experts were keen to share their knowledge, experience and passion for librarianship, which made the meetings particularly fruitful for their Ukrainian colleagues.

According to Diana Barinova, Head of the NGO Local Government Development Centre, the participants are returning home with a lot of new ideas, inspiration and confidence that cooperation and the professional exchange of experience are among the best ways to create modern libraries of the future.

The project participants emphasise that for communities in Kharkiv region, which continue to operate in close proximity to the combat zone and amidst the constant challenges of wartime, such international exchanges are not only an opportunity for professional development but also an important source of support, motivation, and new opportunities for the development of their communities.

The project “From Books to Competences 2.0: Libraries of the Future in Ukrainian Communities” is co-funded by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation within the framework of the RITA programme – “Changes in the Region”, which is implemented by the “Education for Democracy” Foundation.