Liber 2016 in Helsinki: European libraries unite for open science

Date published
The LIBER Conference for European research libraries will be held in Helsinki between 29 June and 1 July 2016. The theme of the conference, Libraries Opening Paths to Knowledge, is highly topical, as it focuses on the role of libraries as promoters of open science.
Picture by
Linda Tammisto / University of Helsinki

The goal of the conference is to highlight the work that European research libraries do to promote science and to generate new knowledge in academic communities.

The significance of libraries in the promotion of open science is recognised to an extraordinary degree in Europe and in the European Commission. The number of participants in the Helsinki conference is higher than ever, which reflects the great interest in the topic,” says the National Library of Finland’s Kristiina Hormia-Poutanen, current president of the LIBER network.

For example, libraries are currently actively involved in the reform of copyright legislation to unlock the opportunities afforded by open science.”

The conference will welcome more than 500 participants from different parts of the world. Finnish representatives include the Academy of Finland as well as dozens of institutions of higher education and research organisations.

Libraries and research funders can significantly impact the ways open science will be integrated into everyday research work in research organisations. Succeeding in this requires an open dialogue between both national and international networks,” says Riitta Maijala, Vice President for Research at the Academy of Finland. Maijala is one of the keynote speakers of the conference.

The 45th LIBER (Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche - Association of European Research Libraries) conference is organised in Finland by the National Library of Finland, the Helsinki University Library and the Finnish Research Library Association.

Follow the conversation on Twitter, #liber2016.

Further information
President of LIBER
Director Kristiina Hormia-Poutanen, National Library of Finland Library Network Services
kristiina.hormia (at) helsinki.fi

LIBER 2016 website
Flickr, LIBER Europe
LIBER 2016 promotional film

Press
The conference is open to members of the press. Registration and interview requests:
Katri Nissilä, Head of Communications, National Library of Finland, katri.nissilä (at) helsinki.fi