Our board

Chair: Marie Østergaard

Marie is Library Director of Aarhus Public Libraries. Since the beginning of her career in 2001 she has been part of Aarhus Public Libraries’ development of the library as a democratic space. Focusing on the knowledge city, user-involvement, partnerships, design thinking and rethinking of library space, she has investigated new technologies, involvement processes and organisational learning in library development. She was the project leader of the building of Dokk1,the main library, implementing and developing these ideas as well as introducing new formats of user- and citizen involvement in the planning and construction.

Vice Chair: Erna Winters

Erna is the Managing Director, ABC Huis, a merger between Artiance centre of the arts and Public Library Kennemerwaard. She’s been working in public libraries during her whole career until 2021 when a merger between the library and Artiance also added art lessons to the spectrum of the line of work. Her current responsibilities include networking with local and provincial governments and making connections with other institutions for joint projects. At the ABC Huis Erna works with her team to innovate and upgrade the level of services provided to the community and their needs.

This group of visionary librarians have a strong passion for libraries, but especially for the communities served libraries all over the Europe, we are taking advocacy to the next level. PL2030 advocates to get the message across that libraries matter, change lives and that politicians should be much more aware of all the things libraries do to serve the citizens in their country/community. PL2030 brings together a group of passionate librarians that can deliver the message on why libraries matter, in word, data and action to politicians and other decision makers.

Treasurer: Krist Biebauw

Krist was director of cultural centres for more than 10 years and then advised local governments in Flanders on cultural policy. Since 2011, he is director of De Krook public library in Ghent, a network of 15 libraries in the city. He was responsible for the substantive transformation of library operations in function of the 2017 opening of De Krook, the new main library. De Krook also houses research groups from Ghent University and the interuniversity research centre Imec, which develop innovation projects through citizen participation in close partnership with the library.

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Board member: Hannelore Vogt

Dr. Hannelore Vogt is the director of the Cologne Public Library. Under her leadership, the Cologne Public Library was named the national Library of the Year in 2015, as was the Würzburg Public Library, of which she was previously director. In 2016 she was honored by  the Cologne Cultural Department as “Cultural Manager of the Year” and in 2019 she was awarded the Karl-Preusker-Medal by Library and Information in Germany – Federal Union of German Library Associations (BID) for her “innovative thinking and action”. The medal is awarded to those who have distinguished themselves in their support and advancement of the cultural and educational mandates of librarianship. Dr. Vogt has a degree in Library Science, a Master’s Degree in Cultural Management and Doctorate in Marketing.

In addition to serving on the board of the Goethe Institute’s “Information & Library” division, she was a strategic advisor for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She is an international speaker on topics of library marketing, customer orientation, innovation management and personnel development.

The role and importance of Public libraries has been changing a lot more during the last fifteen years than in the 50 years before that. This does not only bring new (and exciting) challenges and the need of further development, but must also be made clear in the political arena permanently.

I am very happy to be able to continue to shape the future of libraries together with such great colleagues from all over Europe and a powerful organization like PL2030. Libraries are of central importance for the digital society. Together, let us convince everyone who is still not aware of that!

Founding member: Arjan Beune

Arjan is the former deputy director of the Reading and Writing Foundation in the Netherlands, and the previous host of Public Libraries 2020. Currently, Arjan is the manager cultural programming of a culture house called Nieuwe Veste in Breda, the Netherlands. This cultural house has in Breda multiple locations and is a combination of amature arts, music school and library.

I believe in connecting people and organisations to learn from each other and help both individuals and society grow stronger. PL2030 has a proven record of connecting innovative and inspiring people successfully within the field of libraries throughout the world and in Europe in particular. It connects the policy field of libraries to other crucial policy areas such as digital skills, social inclusion and freedom of information. It can be a bridge in linking emerging societal needs and the essential roles that libraries can play going forward.

Founding member: Erik Boekesteijn

Erik is Senior Advisor at the National Library at the Netherlands and a Library Avenger. He is a facilitator and consultant for IFLA. He is the owner of Shanachie Media and producer of This Week in Libraries and ShanachieTours, a worldwide tour of searching for best practice in libraries. Erik is also a presenter, motivator, musician and author. Library Journal’s Mover and Shaker of the library world 2009 and Best Librarian in the Netherlands 2015.

Being among a group of inspiring library change agents and experts with a great sense of urgency and need for action and a focus on real issues makes me feel very proud. PL2030 is our Brussels connection: close to the people in power who can help us make change happen for libraries. PL2030 is advocacy for libraries in a place where this was not available before. We will keep putting libraries on the EU agenda and run innovative projects over Europe and share experiences and knowledge to help libraries across Europe to be better at serving their users.

Founding member: R. David Lankes

R. David Lankes is the Virginia & Charles Bowden Professor of Librarianship at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information. He is the recipient of ALA’s Reference and User Services Association 2021 Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award for distinguished contribution to reference librarianship. His book, The Atlas of New Librarianship won the 2012 ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award for the Best Book in Library Literature. Lankes is a passionate advocate for librarians and their essential role in today’s society.

I am proud to be part of PL2030 and the team of innovators and passionate advocates for librarians and libraries. To me it is an example of the new type of organization that is needed right now in Europe, and abroad. It combines passion and pragmatics, and builds on a proven record of advocacy.  You have library directors, academics, and consultants that have a proven record of building a vision of libraries centered on communities, and transforming libraries across Europe.

As the world moves to a more data-driven applications, PL2030, building on the great success of PL2020, it really can put the Smart Citizen in Smart Cities. It does this in a modern distributed fashion. Rather than trying to build a single monolithic organization, it is building a massive network of innovators and leaders in Europe, the US, and abroad. It is modelling the community-focused learning and advocacy organization that libraries must become to well serve citizens.

Founding member: Ton van Vlimmeren

Next to his involvement in PL2030, Ton is currently active as President of EBLIDA, in IFLA’s Metropolitan Libraries section and as a library consultant. He was Director at Utrecht Public Library and worked as a psychologist, teacher, educational consultant, and Director of Public Education in Utrecht. He was vice-president of the Dutch Library Association. He contributed to the International Libraries Network of the Bertelsmann Foundation and to the Global Libraries Program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

I think it is important that policies, legislation and funding opportunities at the European level include libraries and support their work; stimulate the role libraries can play in society and support innovation to become even more relevant. Informing and lobbying for libraries in Europe and bridging to the national and local level is part of the work of EBLIDA. I am happy support Public Libraries 2030 because with their presence in Brussels, their experience and innovative approach is something we cannot afford to miss.

Board member: Neil MacInnes

Neil is the Strategic Lead for Libraries, Galleries and Culture at Manchester City Council. He has over 30 years experience in public libraries having worked in a range of roles with Glasgow City Council during a 20-year period and is now Strategic Lead for Libraries, Galleries and Culture with Manchester City Council. During his time as President of Society of Chief Librarians, he helped secure the £2m funding award from Arts Council England and oversaw their transformation into Libraries Connected.

I’m delighted to be part of Public Libraries 2030 which builds on the success of Public Libraries 2020. I have found it really valuable working with library leaders from across Europe, sharing learning and good practice which I’ve been been able to implement in Manchester. The power of the library network and the willingness to collaborate on projects is second to none. Public Libraries 2030 will allow us to have pan European conversations which could open new doors and bring new opportunities for public libraries and our citizens.