On June 16–18, specialists from the National Library of Greece and adult educators from the Ilirska Bistrica Adult Education Center in Slovenia visited the library.
This visit was part of projects implemented by the organizations they represent under the “Erasmus+” program.
The participants were interested in the library’s potential as a community space, informal adult education programs, and the experiences of community members volunteering at the library. They visited the Šiaurinė Branch of the Panevėžys Elena Mezginaitė Public Library, where they learned about library initiatives supporting the resocialization of women in correctional facilities.
They also visited the Pasvalys Marius Katiliškis Public Library, where they were introduced to the library’s functional spaces, innovative services, and both national and international projects. The guests participated in the library’s English conversation club “Let’s Talk” and the Language Café sessions, where they not only met members of the library community but also took part in the process of informal learning.
The “Erasmus+” program participants visited the Children’s and Youth Cultural Education Department and the Juozas Miltinis Memorial Apartment.
Reflecting on their visit, the guests unanimously expressed admiration for the library’s role as a community center, the strong involvement of volunteers in informal education, and the library’s international outlook.
Vasiliki Aravantinou, specialist from the National Library of Greece, stated:
“You know how to engage your community – both the youth and the elderly. If young people are coming to your library, it means your activities serve as a preventive measure against paths that might lead them astray. If older adults and seniors visit your library, it means your programs enrich their free time with meaningful activities, where they not only socialize but also learn languages, discuss literature, and improve their digital literacy skills.”
Romana Morano, Head of the Ilirska Bistrica Adult Education Center in Slovenia, shared:
“Many different organizations run some of the same activities that your library provides. What impressed me the most is that in your library, people can find and try out all of these activities in one place. You are not just a cultural institution, a competence center for municipal libraries, but also a prominent multifunctional hub appreciated by the community, where everyone can find something interesting and important to them.”
Virginija Švedienė, Coordinator of Adult Education Activities at the Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library, said:
“When our library first joined the Erasmus+ program in 2015 and we went on our first mobility visit to the Helsinki City Library, the public library model we saw there seemed like an unattainable dream. What impressed us most was the library’s openness, flexibility, and the strong involvement of the community in all activities, often initiating and organizing various events themselves. We were inspired by the natural dialogue between the library and the community, the joint decision-making regarding the name of the new library building, and the design and purpose of different spaces.
Today, when colleagues from other countries visit us and enthusiastically say that we are a true community center – and that this can be felt as soon as one enters the library – it feels like confirmation that we have fulfilled our dream and are on the right path. A path we cannot stop on, as many exciting challenges await in the future. And most importantly, we walk this path together with our community.”
Virginija Švedienė
Coordinator of Adult Education Activities
