Libraries at the Heart of Europe: Reflections from the Amsterdam Summit, 3-5 June 2026
What does it mean to truly place libraries at the heart of Europe? From 3-5 June, new friendships across borders formed over coffee. Library workers, community organisers, policymakers and cultural practitioners from across Europe gathered at the OBA Oosterdok for a deep-dive into the ever-evolving role of libraries in their communities. We asked each other: What role can libraries play in strengthening democracy? How can they build deeper connections with their communities? What skills do librarians need in a rapidly changing world?
From 3–5 June, more than 220 people came together for Libraries at the Heart of Europe, a gathering powered by the European Cultural Foundation dedicated to exploring these questions and celebrating the people already finding answers in their own communities.
Curiosity, generosity and joy describe the gathering. There was plenty of serious discussion, but also laughter. There was dancing. There was singing. There were moments of reflection, moments of discovery and conversations between people who might never otherwise have met. At the centre of it all were the participants of The Europe Challenge and the BUDDIES project.
The Europe Challenge brings together libraries and communities from more than 20 countries to tackle issues that matter locally while connecting them to wider European challenges. BUDDIES, meanwhile, supports library and community workers to develop the skills, confidence and networks needed to work more closely together.
A Marketplace Filled with Ideas
Imagine walking through a room where every table offers a different glimpse into the future of libraries. That was the spirit of The Europe Challenge initiatives marketplace.
Participants in the 2025/26 edition shared initiatives large and small, presenting practical ideas developed in cities, towns and rural communities in Europe, across the continent’s three key transitions: social, digital and green.
People stopped, listened, exchanged advice and borrowed ideas from one another. What worked in a village in Ireland might inspire a project in Italy, just as a challenge faced in Poland might sound remarkably familiar to someone from Portugal. Though every community is different, many of the questions libraries are tackling are shared beyond borders.
Community Connect: Not-Your-Typical Deck of Cards
Our newly launched Community Connect card deck already started plenty of conversations among participants. Through this playful icebreaker, library workers and community members found themselves talking about local challenges, hidden strengths, shared ambitions and possibilities for collaboration. The cards encourage us to look at libraries not simply as service providers, but as connectors, collaborators and vital civic spaces. They show the strengths and resources that libraries already have and how communities can actively engage with them.
Every card is rooted in real experiences from participants in The Europe Challenge. The deck carries the knowledge, challenges and creativity of libraries and communities across Europe. Give it a try yourself, individually or in a team!
Looking at Libraries Through Different Lenses
One of the event’s key conversations explored how libraries contribute to stronger communities at every level, from neighbourhoods to national policy and European cooperation.
Drawing on the forthcoming report of the OMC Expert Group Strengthening Europe Through Public Libraries, speakers Martin Berendse, Linda Sheridan and Bruno Duarte Eiras reflected on the growing recognition of libraries as essential social and civic infrastructure. Representing local Amsterdam, national and European perspectives on the key role of libraries for urban and rural development, the conversation always returned to the same idea: libraries matter because they belong to everyone.
A recording of the panel will be available soon, on the YouTube channel of the European Cultural Foundation.
Libraries Are Often Described as the Heart of a Community. But What Does That Look Like in Practice?
The upcoming report Strengthening Europe Through Public Libraries identifies seven distinct roles that libraries can play: Motivator, Storyteller, Guide, Protector, Facilitator, Community Builder and Catalyst. Together, they paint a picture of libraries not as static institutions, but as dynamic spaces that respond to the needs and ambitions of the people around them.
To bring these roles to life, we gathered for a special watch party featuring seven short films from libraries taking part in the 2025/26 edition of The Europe Challenge. Each video offered a glimpse into a different library, a different community and a different role in action—from creating spaces for belonging and dialogue to driving local change and inspiring collective action.
Exploring Amsterdam, One Adventure at a Time
Not every conversation happened inside the library. Participants were invited to choose their own adventure from nine field visits across Amsterdam, travelling by boat, bicycle and on foot to discover community projects addressing social, environmental and digital challenges throughout the city.
Participants met local changemakers, explored neighbourhood initiatives and saw how communities are responding creatively to the challenges they face. They returned with fresh inspiration and plenty to discuss.
Three Big Questions
The final day invited us to dive deeper into some of the most pressing questions facing libraries today.
How can libraries strengthen democracy in an increasingly polarised world?
How can we move beyond the hype and develop a critical understanding of artificial intelligence?
And what skills do library workers need to build meaningful relationships with the communities they serve?
Across three parallel sessions, we challenged assumptions and explored practical ways forward.
There were no easy answers. But there was a collective sense that libraries have an important role to play, and that they do not have to figure it out alone.
Recordings of all three panels will be available soon, on the YouTube channel of the European Cultural Foundation.
BUDDIES: Empowering frontline library and community workers
At the Libraries at the Heart of Europe summit, the BUDDIES project came to life through a stand designed not only to share what we have been working on, but also to listen.
Throughout the event, library professionals, community workers, partners, and curious visitors stopped by to discover how BUDDIES is supporting libraries in becoming even stronger community spaces. The stand brought together several strands of the project: a Europe-wide survey on the skills library professionals need to engage with their communities, a collection of 40 best practice examples, and the first steps towards a new European competency framework for library professionals.
The stand was also a place for conversation. As we develop a peer learning platform for library professionals, we wanted to hear directly from the people it is meant to serve. What kind of support do they need? What helps them feel connected? What would make a platform truly useful in their daily work?
These conversations reminded us why the project is called BUDDIES in the first place: at its heart, the project is about making sure library professionals do not have to navigate change, challenges, or community work alone. Through our mentoring programme, we support the personal and professional development of people working in libraries across Europe. Through Know How Labs and Masterclasses, we bring together library professionals and community representatives to exchange experiences, learn from one another, and find inspiration.
You can explore the recordings and graphic notes from the Know How Labs and Masterclasses below.
Leaving with More Than We Arrived With
As the event came to a close, participants packed their bags carrying more than conference notes. They left with new ideas, connections, and questions to engage with.
Most importantly, we’re hoping they left with a renewed sense of what is possible when libraries and communities come together.
For three days in Amsterdam, libraries truly were at the heart of Europe. The conversations that started there are only just beginning.
The Europe Challenge is a Libraries for Europe initiative, powered by the European Cultural Foundation. The 2025/26 edition of The Europe Challenge is kindly supported by public funding through Arts Council England, Fondazione Cariplo, the Scottish Library and Information Council, and is co-funded by the European Union.
The delivery partners for this 2025/26 edition are De Kiesmannen, L&N Advisors, Changency, Aarhus Public Libraries, Athens Comics Library, Public Libraries 2030, Europeana and OBA, who kindly hosted Libraries at the heart of Europe in the OBA Oosterdok library between 3-5 June.
