Tuesday, 7 July 2026

IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC): Past Conferences (2025–2015)




Year Conference Host City & Country Theme Key Highlights
2025 89th IFLA WLIC Astana, Kazakhstan Uniting Knowledge, Building the Future First IFLA WLIC hosted in Central Asia. Focus on AI, digital transformation, sustainability, knowledge sharing, and global library partnerships.
2024 — Dubai, UAE — World Library and Information Congress was cancelled as IFLA reviewed the future format of the conference.
2023 88th IFLA WLIC Rotterdam, Netherlands Let's Work Together, Let's Library Return to a fully in-person global congress after the pandemic. Focus on collaboration, innovation, inclusion, and sustainable development.
2022 87th IFLA WLIC Dublin, Ireland Inspire, Engage, Enable, Connect First physical WLIC after COVID-19 disruptions. Discussions on digital libraries, open access, and resilient library services.
2021 Virtual WLIC Online Discover, Discuss, Disrupt, Develop Held completely online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Featured global virtual sessions, networking, and professional development.
2020 86th IFLA WLIC Dublin, Ireland Cancelled Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual lectures and online events were organized instead.
2019 85th IFLA WLIC Athens, Greece Libraries: Dialogue for Change More than 3,300 delegates from over 130 countries attended. IFLA launched its Strategy 2019–2024 during the congress.
2018 84th IFLA WLIC Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Transform Libraries, Transform Societies Focused on innovation, digital transformation, community engagement, and the IFLA Global Vision initiative.
2017 83rd IFLA WLIC WrocΕ‚aw, Poland Libraries. Solidarity. Society. Emphasized social inclusion, equal access to information, democracy, and cultural heritage preservation.
2016 82nd IFLA WLIC Columbus, Ohio, USA Connections. Collaboration. Community. Focused on library innovation, partnerships, technology, research, and strengthening communities through libraries.
2015 81st IFLA WLIC Cape Town, South Africa Dynamic Libraries: Access, Development and Transformation Highlighted equitable access to information, literacy, digital inclusion, and the role of libraries in sustainable development.

Major Trends (2015–2025)

  • 2015: Access to information and sustainable development.
  • 2016: Community collaboration and innovation.
  • 2017: Libraries supporting democracy and social inclusion.
  • 2018: Transforming libraries through technology.
  • 2019: Global dialogue and launch of the IFLA Strategy 2019–2024.
  • 2020–2021: COVID-19 led to cancellation and then a fully virtual congress.
  • 2022: Return to in-person networking and collaboration.
  • 2023: Renewed international cooperation under "Let's Work Together, Let's Library."
  • 2024: Congress cancelled while IFLA reviewed the future of WLIC.
  • 2025: Focus on AI, innovation, and building the future of libraries.