Speakers

(In alphabetical order)

Despina Anagnostopoulou

Associate Professor, University of Macedonia
Greece

Tonia Arahova

President of the General Council for Libraries, Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affaires
Greece

Tonia (Antonia) Arahova is IFLA (International Federation of Libraries Associations) former President Elect 2021-2022.

The first person in IFLA’s 94 years history ever elected from the southeast Mediterranean. She serves as President of General Council for Libraries in The Ministry of Education in Greece.

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Kostas Bakoyannis

Mayor of Athens

Kostas Bakoyannis (Greek: Κώστας Μπακογιάννης; born 16 March 1978 in Athens) is a Greek politician. Having served as mayor of the town of Karpenisi, he was popularly elected Regional governor of Central Greece in the 2014 local elections. In June 2019, he was elected as the new Mayor of Athens starting from 25 August 2019.  

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Anna Bernabè

Università degli Studi di Ferrara
AIB - Associazione Italiana Biblioteche (Italian Library Association)
Italy

Since 2005 she has been working at the Library System of the University of Ferrara, where she is mostly involved in the management of special collections. Anna is PhD Candidate at the Department of Classical Philology and Italian Studies of the University of Bologna (Italy), working on the enhancement of academic libraries’ heritage and special collections within the strategic frameworks of University’s Third Mission and UN 2030 Agenda.

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Markéta Bočková

Head of Masaryk University, Faculty of Arts, Library Association of Libraries of Czech Universities
Czech Republic

Markéta is head of the Central Library Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University in Brno. She also serves as an Executive Board Member of Assoc. of Libraries of Czech Universities. In the building that won many awards, she balances user's needs, management expectations, building limits, and trends.  

Valérie Bouissou

Chair of EBLIDA Expert Group on Information Law
Director, Bibliohèque Municipale Nîmes
France

With more than thirty-year experience in the library field, Valérie Bouissou has been Director of Libraries in Nîmes since 2019. She has a long ministerial experience at the Ministry of Culture, France, where she was Deputy-Head of the Library Department in the Book and Reading Service. At the Ministry of Culture, Valérie dealt with the reform of the library regulatory framework (libraries, digital legal deposit, European copyright directive, Open Data) and followed up international affairs related to libraries.

Veronica Ceruti

Director Library system, city of Bologna, Italy

Eléonore Clavreul

International relation, Bibliothèque publique d’information, Paris
France

After having worked in public libraries in Parisian suburbs, Eléonore Clavreul then worked for the French Ministry of Culture on book's economy subjects (public procurement, digital lending, copyright exception). She now works at Bibliothèque publique d’information in Paris as Head of the national and international cooperation department. 

Andrew Cranfield

EBLIDA Executive Committee Member
Library Director, Municipality of Toender, Southern Denmark

Andrew Cranfield holds a BA in Library and Information Science and an MA in Cultural Studies and has spent most of his professional career working in the Danish library sector, both public and academic.

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Mikkel Christoffersen

Chefkonsulent, Det Digitale Folkebibliotek
Denmark

Mikkel Christoffersen is chief consultant with Copenhagen Libraries, Denmark, but presently stationed at The Digital Public Library of Denmark. He’s the chief negotiator and business architect for “eReolen,” the Danish, national e-lending platform, and he chairs the e-lending working group for NAPLE Forum. At Copenhagen Libraries he leads a new initiative to procure and analyse data for all aspects of library services and the target communities and to device solutions on the basis hereof.

Niki Dandolou

Special Secretary for European Social Fund Programmes, Ministry of Development and Investments
Greece

Niki Dandolou was born in Athens, Greece. She obtained her Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering from University College London – University of London, a Master of Science from City University in London and a ΜΒΑ from Athens University of Economics & Business and the National Technical University of Athens

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Guillaume Gast

Chef de projet, Responsable de la médiathèque Nord, Ville et Eurométropole de Strasbourg, Direction de la Culture - Service des médiathèques
France

After studying contemporary history, Guillaume Gast takes charge of the digital projects of the Archives of the Bas-Rhin Department (2003-2007). He entered the world of libraries with the opening of the André Malraux library in Strasbourg, where he was in charge of the Arts and Comics department and the Illustration Center (2008-2016). After becoming Library director, he studies at the INET within the Gerda Taro - Robert Capa promotion (2017-2018). Since July 1, 2018, he has been the project manager for the future Nord library of the Eurométropole of Strasbourg.

Ilona Kish

Director, Public Libraries 2030, Brussels
Belgium

Ilona Kish previously served as Secretary General of Culture Action Europe, a European Umbrella association promoting arts and cultural associations across Europe. She has extensive experience advocating towards the EU institutions and running awareness-raising campaigns, as well as a thorough working knowledge of both the operational and political functions of the various EU institutions.

Hella Klauser

Vice-President, EBLIDA
Internationale Kooperation, Kompetenznetzwerk für Bibliotheken / knb
Deutscher Bibliotheksverband e.V. (dbv) Germany

Since 2005 responsible for international cooperation within the Network of Excellence for Libraries (knb) at the German Library Association (Deutscher Bibliotheksverband dbv) in Berlin, Germany.

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Katrina Kukaine

EBLIDA Executive Committee Member
National Library of Latvia
Latvia

Mag.geogr., spatial development planner, specialized in historic environment, works in the National library of Latvia as strategic development specialist, for a time as the Director of the Development department. 

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Hana Landová

Director, University Library of Life Science Library, Prague / Association of Libraries of Czech Universities
Czech Republic

Hana Landova is Director of Library, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. She also serves as an Executive Board Member of Assoc. of Libraries of Czech Universities. In 2018, Hana has completed LIBER Emerging Leaders Programme. She strongly believes in academic library being an essential part of the campus, a place to meet, share, co-operate and contemplate new ideas.

Rauha Maarno

EBLIDA Executive Committee Member
Director of Customer relations, Accessibility Library Celia
Finland

Rauha Maarno is working as director of customer and public relations in Accessibility Library Celia in Helsinki, Finland. Maarno has experience from the library field since 2007. She has also worked with non-profit organization management leading a strategic change towards more active advocacy for public libraries. Her interests and expertise include the role of libraries in the society, literacy issues and accessibility.

Kathrin Merkle

Head of Culture and Cultural Heritage Division, Directorate General of Democracy, Council of Europe
France

Kathrin Merkle heads the Culture and Cultural Heritage Division of the Directorate of Democratic Participation at the Council of Europe and as Secretary to the Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape, coordinates the intergovernmental work of 46 member States. This includes innovative projects on Culture and Democracy Indicators, Culture and Digitisation, AI, Freedom of Expression of the Arts and Culture -including the digital #exhibition “Free to create – Create to be" as well as on the Organizations’ Conventions in the cultural heritage sector.

Trained as a sociologist and political scientist, Kathrin later studied Public Sector Modernisation and Internet Governance issues. She has an avid interest in cultures – ancient, contemporary and future ones.

Dragos-Adrian Neagu

Director, Braila “Panait Istrati” Public Library, President Romania National Association of Public Librarians and Libraries (ANBPR)
Romania

Since 1998 Mr. Dragos Neagu Adrian served as deputy director of the Braila “Panait Istrati” Public Library and since 2008 is the manager of this institution. Is member of National Libraries Commission.
Mr. Dragos Adrian Neagu is licensed from the University “Lower Danube" from Galati, Faculty of Materials Science, has a master degree in public management of the Academy of Economic Sciences in Bucharest also is PhD student at the University ”Lucian Blaga” Sibiu. He is an ANBPR (Romania National Association of Public Librarians and Libraries) member since 1995 and from 2021 is the president of the association (is the second mandate as president, the first one was in 2012 – 2016). Association aims to support the professional interests, of public libraries and librarians. With a continuous activity for 30 years, currently, has over 3,300 members and has 37 branches nationwide.

Marie Østergård

Library Director of Aarhus Public Libraries, Aarhus, Denmark
Chair of Public Libraries 2030, Brussels
Belgium

As Library Director of Aarhus Public Libraries, Marie oversees Dokk1 (the main library) and 18 branches. Since the beginning of her career in 2001 she has been part of Aarhus Public Libraries’ development of the library as a democratic space – a non-commercial space that empowers citizenship, sustainable communities and human growth. Focusing on the knowledge city, user-involvement, partnerships, design thinking and rethinking of library space, she has investigated new technologies, involvement processes and organisational learning in library development.

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Mairead Owens

Treasurer, EBLIDA
City Librarian, Dublin City Council
Ireland

Mairead Owens was appointed Dublin City Librarian on 1 April 2019. She joined the City Council from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) where she had been County Librarian for ten years. Mairead brings with her a wealth of experience, notably the development of the internationally acclaimed dlr LexIcon, the central library and cultural centre in Dún Laoghaire.

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Zélia Parreira

EBLIDA Executive Committee Member
Director of the Public Library of Évora
PhD Full Member of CIDEHUS-UE (Interdisciplinary Centre for History, Culture and Societies, University of Evora)
Portugal

Director of the Public Library of Évora since 2014. Member of the Portuguese Association of Librarians, Archivists, Information and Documentation Professionals (BAD). Coordinator of BAD Public Libraries Working Group (2018-2021).

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Jovana Poznan

Council of Europe - Directorate-General for Democracy (DGII), Project Officer at the Culture and Cultural Heritage Division
France

Jovana Poznan is a Project Officer at the Culture and Cultural Heritage Division of the Directorate of Democratic Participation at the Council of Europe since 2019. She is currently working on the Faro Convention on the value of cultural heritage for society and the European Heritage Days Programme. Previously, she worked, within the same Division, on the implementation of The Faro Way: enhanced participation in cultural heritage - a Council of Europe/ European Commission Joint project aimed at promoting the principles of the Faro Convention among the member States.

Before joining the Council of Europe, she worked in the sector of youth policy as a Project Officer at the International Youth Organisation for Ibero-America in Madrid, Spain. She was also part of the team of Serbian Permanent Mission to the European Union in Brussels and International and Security Affairs Center in Belgrade. Jovana holds Master’s Degrees in International Relations from the University of Kent and in European Law from the University of Lorraine. She graduated in Political Science from University of Belgrade and University of Salamanca.

Anastasia Psallida

University of Macedonia
Greece

Anastasia Psallida is a PhD Candidate at the Department of International & European Studies of the University of Macedonia and Research Associate in the UNESCO Chair of Intercultural Policy for an Active Citizenship and Solidarity at University of Macedonia, working on “The role of the EU in Intercultural Education and the elimination of Hate Speech – comparison with other International Organizations” since February 2020.

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Barbara Schleihagen

Director, German Library Association
Germany

Barbara Schleihagen is the Executive Director of the German Library Association representing about 9,000 libraries, based in Berlin, Germany. She is a trained librarian and hold a master’s degree (MSc Econ) in “Management of Libraries and Information Services” of the University of Wales. After completion of her studies, she worked in various positions in foreign cultural policy (British Council, EBLIDA, IFLA) before she joined the German Library Association in 2004.

From 2007-2011 and again 2015-2017 she served as a member of the IFLA Governing Board. Currently, she serves as a member of the NAPLE Forum Governing Board. In 2019, she was awarded the IFLA Medal for her substantial contribution to the global library field and international cooperation.

Knut Skansen

Library Director, Deichman
Norway

Knut Skansen is originally from the town of Drammen, but now resides in Oslo, the capital of Norway. Skansen holds a Master of Philosophy from the University of Oslo. From 2001 to 2009, Skansen was General Manager of the Best Western Hotel Bondeheimen. In 2009, he joined Deichman, Oslo’s network of public libraries, as Project Manager for the city’s new main library. Skansen filled the position of Interim Library Director for Deichman from 2016 until 2018. Since 2018, he has served as Library Director for Deichman. On June 28, 2020, the city of Oslo opened its new main library, Deichman Bjørvika. The Deichman network currently consists of 22 libraries.

Angelos Syrigos

Deputy Minister of Education and Religious Affairs
Greece

Spaska Tarandova

Executive Director, Global Libraries – Bulgaria Foundation
Bulgaria

She has been working in the library field for more than 30 years. Since 2015, she has been serving as an Executive Director of FGLBF which works with a network of more than 1000 public libraries in Bulgaria. She has experience as a trainer in library management, advocacy, fundraising, and project management. Membership: Bulgarian Library and Information Association, Board Member, Member of PLS Standing Committee, IFLA. Part of the International Network of Emerging Library Innovators (INELI), sponsored by the Gates Foundation.

Giannis Tsakonas

Director, University Library Patras
Greece

Giannis holds a BA in Librarianship from the Department of Archives and Library Sciences, Ionian University, Greece and a PhD in Information Science from the same Department. Currently he works as Director in the Library & Information Center, University of Patras, Greece. He also serves on LIBER’s Executive Board as head of the Innovative Scholarly Communication Steering Committee, and on the Board of Directors of Hellenic Academic Libraries Link. In 2016, he was appointed Vice President of the Hellenic General Council of Libraries, a body of the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs monitoring the operation of Greek public libraries.

Giuseppe Vitiello

Director, EBLIDA
Netherlands

Giuseppe Vitiello has been Director, EBLIDA since 2019. From 1989 to 2018 he served as Head of Unit, Programme Adviser and Expert in various international organisations: European Commission, Council of Europe, ISSN International Centre, EU-ISS and NATO Defence College.Earlier in his carrier, he acted as Head R&D, National Library in Florence and lectured at the Universities of Orléans and Toulouse. He also held visiting positions at the Hochschule der Medien in Stuttgart and the University of Venice.

Ton van Vlimmeren

President, EBLIDA
Netherlands

Ton van Vlimmeren is since 2018 President of EBLIDA, the European Bureau of Library, Informationand Documentation Associations. He is also active as one of the founders of Public Libraries 2030. For twenty years he was director governor of the Utrecht Public Library. He held various board positions in the library world and was active in IFLA, in the international network of the Bertelsmann Foundation, and of the Bill en Melinda Gates Foundation.

Erna Winters

Managing Director ABC, Huis
Netherlands

Erna is the Managing Director, Public Library Kennemerwaard. She began her library career as a volunteer at the age of eight or nine, helping the local librarian to put the books on the shelves. Her current responsibilities include networking with local and provincial governments and making connections with other institutions for joint projects. In the last 10 years Erna has worked with her library team to innovate and upgrade the level of services provided to the users of their public library.