Here we answer the most common questions about the LIBER conference.
Have a question which isn’t answered here? Please email the LIBER office.
When is the next LIBER Annual Conference?
In 2025, our 54th Annual Conference will be held in Lausanne, Switzerland (2-4 July 2025).
LIBER conferences are normally held at the beginning of the summer, either during the last two weeks of June or the first week of July (depending on the venue and national holidays).
When does the Call for Proposals open?
The Call for Proposals for LIBER 2025 is now open. Find the full call here.
Submissions are reviewed by LIBER’s Conference Programme Committee during January. They look for high-quality papers which fit the theme and topics of that year’s conference, which are original, innovative and which have an impact on the wider library community.
From post-conference surveys, we know that conference delegates highly value presentations which share practical “lessons learned” from the work or research undertaken.
When can I register?
Registration for physical LIBER conferences normally opens in the last two weeks of February. In recent years the LIBER conference has become very popular and registration is normally capped at 400-500 delegates (depending on the capacity of the venue). If you want to attend, please register early.
Who attends the conference?
The conference is open to anyone. It is mainly attended by research library directors and their staff. Popular topics of discussion include (but are not limited to) open science, open access, research data management, citizen science, copyright, metrics, digital humanities and linked open data.
How is LIBER’s Annual Conference funded, and what role do sponsors play in the event?
LIBER aims to keep the Annual Conference fee affordable for delegates from libraries of all sizes. We therefore welcome sponsors at the conference: both those who sponsor LIBER as a foundation (more about LIBER sponsors), and those recruited by the local conference host. Sponsors of LIBER as a foundation have the option to present during a limited number of plenary spots, and all sponsors are offered exhibition space at the conference.
Income from the sponsors covers about a third of conference costs. Delegate fees cover the remaining conference expenses.
LIBER is a non-profit foundation and does not benefit financially from the conference. The only proceeds which we receive come from a special premium (included in the fee and approved by LIBER participants in 2005). This premium is specifically reserved for our Conference Fund, which subsides the cost of attending the conference for a set number of library professionals from selected European countries.
It is also worth noting that the LIBER conference remains affordable thanks in large part to the local hosts. The conferences are always hosted by LIBER libraries. They provide the facilities and routinely assemble a large team of volunteers to help during the conference.
How are the locations of LIBER’s Annual Conference decided, and can my institution host it?
LIBER aims to ensure that the conference is hosted in a geographically diverse range of locations around Europe. If your institution is interested in hosting an upcoming LIBER conference, please email our Secretary-General Anja Smit.