The Lithuanian Librarians’ Association invites librarians, information and communication professionals, researchers, and all those interested in the connections between citizen science and culture, as well as science communication, to meet in Panevėžys in early December. On December 2–3, the international conference “Biržiška Readings ’24: Culture and Citizen Science” will take place.
Citizen science is a research activity involving non-professionals, typically volunteers, such as members of local communities or individuals interested in the topic who lack formal scientific training. Participants contribute to data collection, analysis, or observations, assisting professional researchers with studies requiring extensive data or long-term monitoring.
“Libraries have enormous potential in the context of citizen science. They bring communities together and possess suitable research infrastructure: computer-equipped workstations, specialists who can consult on research implementation, and vast information resources on diverse topics. While universities and academic libraries have been engaged with this theme for years, public libraries have yet to fully leverage their cultural potential to foster citizen science initiatives,” said Dr. Laura Šimkevičė, one of the event organizers, Chair of the Lithuanian Librarians’ Association, and Director of the Ieva Simonaitytė Public Library in Klaipėda.
According to Dr. Šimkevičė, libraries’ resources and librarians’ expertise are crucial for advancing research and engaging communities in scientific activities. These topics will be the focus of the conference’s first day.
The conference will begin with a discussion featuring researchers and specialists representing higher education institutions, libraries, and library associations. The aim is to highlight libraries’ roles in introducing citizen science to professional communities and interested individuals. Participants in the discussion will include Dr. Erika Janiūnienė and Dr. Marija Stonkienė from Vilnius University’s Faculty of Communication, Dr. Ingrida Veliutė, Deputy Director for Science and Strategic Development at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, Aistė Pranckutė, Head of the Scientific Information Department at Kaunas University of Technology Library, and Dr. Laura Šimkevičė.
Other presentations will share experiences from Lithuanian and international libraries in implementing citizen science initiatives, encouraging public participation, and developing the competencies needed for these activities. The event will also showcase results from international projects and discuss factors empowering citizenship in local communities. Aistė Pranckutė from KTU Library, together with the library’s Director Dr. Gintarė Tautkevičienė, will deliver a presentation on the skills required for citizen science projects and how they can be acquired or enhanced.
The conference will feature speakers from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Iceland, and Spain. The first day will take place at the modern art museum, Stasys Museum (Respublikos St. 40), a partner of the project. The second day will focus on various educational activities hosted at the Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library (Respublikos St. 14), the Panevėžys Regional Museum (Vasario 16-osios St. 23), and the Panevėžys Creativity Center “Pragiedruliai” (Ukmergės St. 59a).
The conference will also be livestreamed with translations into Lithuanian and English. The broadcast will be available on YouTube and the Lithuanian Librarians’ Association’s Facebook page.
“Biržiška Readings” is a traditional event for information and communication professionals in Lithuania, held annually since 1991 to honor the birthday of Vaclovas Biržiška, a renowned Lithuanian bibliographer and book scientist, on December 2. The event attracts a large audience, including cultural workers, librarians, information and communication specialists, and researchers. In recent years, the Lithuanian Librarians’ Association (LLA) has organized the conference in collaboration with the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, Vilnius University’s Faculty of Communication, and library associations in Lithuania and abroad. This year’s conference is supported by UAB Asseco Lietuva and funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture.
Those interested in participating are encouraged to review the program and fill out the registration form here.
