On 15 October 2026, colleagues from the State Scientific Library in Banská Bystrica visited the National Széchényi Library.
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On 15 October 2026, the National Széchényi Library (OSZK) welcomed colleagues from the State Scientific Library in Banská Bystrica. The delegation, comprising Director Oľga Doktorová and her colleagues Peter Šotik, Head of the IT Department; Michaela Tettingerová, Art Specialist; and Ivana Bičanovská, Librarian and Memory Trainer, was received at the OSZK by Judit Gerencsér, Acting Director General, together with Szabolcs Dancs and Marcell Ottó Ormándy, staff members of the Library Standardization Office of the Library Institute.
During their meeting with Acting Director General Judit Gerencsér, the library directors reviewed the results of cooperation between the two institutions to date, discussed joint professional projects that had already been completed as well as those currently underway, and explored opportunities for further developing their partnership. They expressed their commitment to strengthening existing professional ties, continuing ongoing cooperation and implementing new joint projects, primarily within a framework of professional cooperation among public collections in the Visegrád Group (V4) countries.
Potential areas for future cooperation were identified, including promoting digital transformation and inclusivity, developing librarians' digital competencies, organising programmes to support the safe and effective use of artificial intelligence, and developing joint initiatives to promote the mental health and well-being of library professionals.
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During the visit, our guests toured the library building and its public service areas. Led by Zsófia Szádeczky-Kardoss, a staff member of the Collection Development and Registration Department, and with Slovak interpretation provided by Szabolcs Dancs, Head of the Library Standardization Office, they gained insight into the history and operations of the national library. The tour focused primarily on the history of the palace, the founding of the national library and the history of its collections. Particular attention was devoted to the exhibition on library history and its interactive features, as well as the exhibition of miniature books. In discussions concerning the library's operations, the professionals primarily exchanged experience relating to legal deposit and digitisation.
Professional ties between the OSZK and the State Scientific Library in Banská Bystrica [7] were established by our colleagues in 2023 [8] at the TLib international conference held in Banská Bystrica. In 2025 and again in the summer of 2026, representatives of the national library also took part in conferences organised by the Slovak institution.
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