We invite you

On behalf of the National Committee we are pleased to invite you to the 83rd World Library and Information Congress in Wrocław, Poland, which will take place from 19-25 August 2017.

“Libraries. Solidarity. Society.“  A straightforward yet powerful message that resonates with a singular truth in a country where the most powerful union movement of the past century was born and went on to change the face of history. A message from a robust library community that managed not only to survive the challenges of the transformation, but excelled and flourished in the new social and political reality. And now the network of our country‘s information providers is ready to bring you the most exciting and exceptional congress experience.

Poland hosted the IFLA World Congress only twice in its history: in 1936 and 1959, both times in the nation‘s capital, Warsaw. Since then, the progress made in Polish science, information technology and librarianship, especially this past 27 years, has been nothing short of revolutionary.  Over half a century later, the Congress in Wrocław has a feeling of starting over: new, fresh, full of ideas and ready for the challenges of the modern world.

While Wrocław is graciously inviting librarians from all over the world to come together and share their ideas in this unique city, we all know that organizing WLIC is a task that challenges the nation‘s entire librarian community. A task this community is ready to take on, seeing it as an opportunity to present their achievements and engage with fellow librarians from all over the world. You are therefore cordially invited to visit libraries not only in Wrocław, but also in Lower Silesia, Katowice, Kraków, and many other cities.
Wrocław is a town filled with vibrant and varied libraries, from the libraries of academic institutions to a rich offering represented by public libraries. Only in the past several years the University Library, the Wrocław University of Technology, and the Wrocław University of Economics have acquired new state of the art facilities equipped with the best technology, which IFLA Congress participants will have an opportunity to visit. Together with the unique special collections of the Ossoliński National Institute as well as those of Wrocław’s public libraries, such as Mediateka, they represent a very special offering to library professionals, while the tourist attractions of the city, with its colorful Market Square, the atmospheric Cathedral Island, and dozens of bridges linking Wrocław’s 12 islands, are a sight and experience not to be missed.

In 2016 Wrocław had the double honor of being named European Capital of Culture as well as World Book Capital, a title bestowed by UNESCO in recognition of the quality of its programs to promote books and reading and the strength and dedication of the book industry. What better way to top it off than by sharing our experiences and ideas with over 4,000 librarians from all over the world?
Poland, with its 1,000 years of history and a network of over 32,000 libraries providing access to information and technology, has much to offer to the international community of librarians and book lovers, and so we are proud and honored to be hosting the 83rd World Library and Information Congress in Wrocław.