On October 8, 2026, the assembly hall of Brest State Technical University (BrSTU) became a focal point for the intellectual community of Belarus and Russia. It hosted the grand opening of the 26th International Scientific and Practical Conference "Management of University Libraries" - the premier professional forum of the autumn season.
This year, the conference marks the 60th anniversary of the BrSTU Library and the 105th anniversary of the Fundamental Library of the Belarusian State University (BSU). The event brought together directors of major research libraries, leading scholars, and experts in IT and the digitalization of education in Brest. The "Belaya Vezha" People's Academic Choir of BrSTU set a tone of high academic distinction, opening the official proceedings with a musical performance.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by:
- Andrei Gennadyevich Prorovsky, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at BrSTU;
- Vladimir Gennadyevich Kulazhenko, Director of the Fundamental Library of BSU and Chairman of the Council of the Belarusian Library Association (BLA);
- Lyudmila Alexandrovna Shukshunova, Head of the Central Methodological Office at the Scientific Library of Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU);
- Yulia Vyacheslavovna Azarkevich, Director of the BrSTU Library.
An awards ceremony took place as part of the opening proceedings. The BrSTU library staff received a University Certificate of Merit in recognition of their many years of dedicated service and high level of professionalism. Library Director Yulia Vyacheslavovna Azarkevich was honored with a Letter of Appreciation from the Council of the Belarusian Library Association for her significant contribution to the development of the library profession. The plenary session set a powerful course for the transformation of university spaces. Speakers representing the Russian State Library, the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), and leading IT companies and publishing houses (such as Data Express, Doomeit, INFRA-M Publishing Group, and others) discussed the challenges currently facing information centers:
- Integrating neural networks into the education system and modernizing automated library systems;
- The "Open Science" concept and research data management;
- Digital twins and intelligent university ecosystems.
The conference continues on October 9. Experts will focus on practical sessions dedicated to integrating AI into the daily work of librarians, fostering communication with the new generation of students, and shaping the architecture of the library of the future.
We wish the participants productive work, bold ideas, and valuable networking opportunities!
