Please send your proposals until the 31st of January 2022!

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Libraries can have a leading role on the path to sustainability, that’s why we will label them E+Libraries. E+ stems mainly from a new ECOLOGY of the ECOSYSTEMS where less is consumed and more is shared. Libraries play a very important role in shaping more sustainable and responsible societies, not only by educating people, but also by becoming centers for testing new economic models, innovation and technology. Sustainability has at its core a new way of seeing the economic exchanges and growth: the circular economy. If the classical model of business was defined by the triad: take-make-waste, the circular economy looks at interactions based on the concepts: borrow-use-return. It means that the emphasis is on how we can prolong the life of products, how we innovate by design, how we can make the most from the already existing scarce resources, how we produce more locally so we can decrease the carbon footprint. Basically, it means working with and preparing the communities in line with the 7R method: rethink, redesign, repurpose, reuse, repair, remanufacture, recycle and recover. Libraries, as community development hubs can play a role in all these processes and they already do.

In direct connection with the 7R in 2022 we invite you to join Occupy Libraries and debate with concepts like: environment, equity, engagement, empowerment, empathy, entertainment, economics. All in an E+Library extravaganza that will elevate your excitement and bring some well-deserved euphoria.

The main themes of Occupy Library 2022 – The E+Libraries On The Rise are:

• Engaging community in rethinking, repurposing and remanufacturing, recycling

• Empowerment for repair, reuse and recover

• Educating for a sustainable Planet

We are looking for presentations of case studies and inspiring ignite talks to cover one or several of the conference themes, and we’re prepared to accommodate a multitude of formats for your ideas and experiences to be exposed to an eager audience:

• presentations

• ignite talks

• workshops

• storyboards and/or infographics

In addition to that, we welcome proposals for open-themed interactive sessions (one per day, 90 minutes long), which will cover other topics relevant to libraries and NGOs. The form of the session can vary from panel-discussions to interactive workshops of practical Labs, and they will be moderated / facilitated by the initiator (the person who proposes the OTIS).

The E+Libraries On The Rise will happen on June 2nd and 3rd, 2022. The event is a hybrid format, with face-to-face sessions happening in Bucharest and online interactive sessions hosted in Hopin platform.

Occupy Library ® is an independent event organized by the Progress Foundation with the support of Next Library® and in co-operation with the Occupy Library Steering committee,  in partnership with Goethe-Institut Bukarest, conference partners and sponsors.

More about the themes for Occupy Library 2022

Engaging community in rethinking, repurposing and remanufacturing, recycling

When we focus on communities, we start from the social-economic reality of community members. As we engage them in learning about building a better future for themselves and their community we can, and often do, encourage them into redesigning their future.  Libraries and CSOs activate their communities through programs, services, collection development strategies, and partnerships, so we invite you to tell us how you are changing the traditional culture into a culture that rethinks its future. 

Keywords: Programs and services, Library collections, Technology for change, Economic sustainability, Social sustainability, Art projects

Empowerment for repair, reuse and recover

Community development and strategic planning see community resilience as a key success factor. Helping local actors, institutions, decision makers, and regular citizens to employ skills related to repairing, to develop reuse  and recovery strategies is such an important effort. Come and tell us about the new methodologies, services and technologies you use to empower your users and partners, to build resilience and use new technologies for stronger communities. Share with us your plans to tinker with existing resources and create spaces for new ideas to take form. 

Keywords:  Trainings, New methodologies,  New services, Tinkering & maker spaces

Educating for a sustainable Planet

In many communities around the world youth signaled their determination to change how we use the planet’s resources through Fridays for Future. Libraries and CSOs have also picked up the challenge and have been focusing their resources and strategic decisions to contribute to raising awareness about the climate challenge. Contributing at local, regional, national and international level to all 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals, libraries and CSOs have been educating all generations towards responsibility and community building. Come and share with us your new or future services, tell us how you advocate for SDGs implementation and how you are making this Planet a better place. 

Keywords: Services for the future, SDGs in libraries, Raising awareness, Green libraries,  Environmental sustainability