The CENL Executive Committee ‘met’ in April – for the first time, virtually – and judged the applications for the Erland Kolding Nielsen Grant. We would like to announce that one award will be made this year: an international conference, National Libraries Now: International Perspectives on Library Curation, organised by a small team of curators at the British Library. The EKN grant will be used to bring international speakers from CENL member libraries to the conference. We hope that by next summer, many of you may be able to come to London and convene in person but the organisers are planning a virtual element to allow those unable to travel to ‘attend’ via their screens.

The National Libraries Now: International Perspectives on Library Curation conference in July 2021 will bring together professionals working in national libraries world-wide to explore the state of national library curation now. Curatorial roles within national libraries face unprecedented change in what is considered national heritage, the digital availability of collections, and a growing sense of social responsibility.

This conference aims to interrogate the complex challenges we face in building and interpreting collections, and the practical approaches that are being taken to address them. What does it mean to be a curator in a national library now? What new possibilities are there for international collaboration? We will also be addressing the subject of inclusion, the planned theme of the CENL Annual General Meeting in 2020, and how it manifests both in our sector and in the collections of which we are responsible.

One of the main outputs of the conference will be the creation of an international network for curators and librarians in national libraries, supported by the CENL forum and a mailing list to share relevant communications. As well as practical knowledge-sharing opportunities with other professionals, both within and beyond Europe, CENL members will benefit from a 50% discount on the conference fee.

In light of the expected long-term impact of the current global crisis, delegates will be given the opportunity to participate in the conference remotely.

EKN Grants are awarded annually. If you have a project in the pipeline which fosters international collaboration between CENL member libraries, apply by March next year for an EKN Grant of up to €5000. Read more