• 2026-01-20

To promote international scholarly exchange within Taiwan’s library community and to broaden perspectives and professional expertise in contemporary library curation, NCL has specially invited Director Dagnija Baltiņa of the National Library of Latvia to Taiwan to deliver a keynote lecture and engage in scholarly exchange.

The lecture began with welcome remarks by NCL Director-General Han-ching Wang, who introduced the keynote speaker, Director Dagnija Baltiņa of the National Library of Latvia. Drawing on her extensive professional background and practical experience, Director Baltiņa delivered a presentation titled “Why Do We Still Need Book Exhibitions in the 21st Century?”

In her lecture, Director Baltiņa began by posing a thought-provoking question: In an age where digital tools are ubiquitous, why do we still need physical exhibitions? Focusing on text-centered exhibition formats, she explained how the integration of art, research, design, and interpretive guidance can transform content interpretation and foster meaningful audience engagement—an approach that plays a crucial role in contemporary curatorial practice. In addition, Director Baltiņa not only elaborated on the deeper significance of exhibition planning in libraries and the challenges it entails but also introduced the mission and vision of the National Library of Latvia, along with the structure and scale of its professional team. She further shared several curatorial case studies, demonstrating the diversity of the library’s collections and its ongoing efforts to advance a national reading strategy.

Director Baltiņa also shared how the National Library of Latvia establishes connections between audiences and its collections through thoughtful planning and design. These curatorial practices demonstrate the core values of libraries, extending beyond the traditional function of collection stewardship and effectively embodying the spirit of the Riga Declaration on the right to read, ensuring that everyone has equal and free access to knowledge. For the library, exhibitions are not merely displays of collections but also serve as a medium for fostering social inclusion and interactive engagement, enriching the public’s reading and everyday experiences. The National Library of Latvia’s curatorial practices clearly demonstrate that exhibitions function as a strategic tool linking collection-based research with public participation, thereby strengthening the library’s role in advancing national democratic development, enhancing international visibility, and deepening cultural diplomacy.

During the Q&A session following the lecture, participants actively engaged with questions, to which Director Baltiņa provided detailed responses and thoughtful feedback. The lecture was rich in content and highly engaging, offering valuable international insights for Taiwan’s library community and inspiring further reflection among local professionals on the role and positioning of libraries in the 21st century.

Following the keynote lecture, NCL held a Taiwan Corner donation ceremony, during which Director-General Wang presented a Taiwan Corner to the National Library of Latvia, bringing the day’s scholarly exchange to a successful conclusion.

The content of today’s keynote lecture, “Why Do We Still Need Book Exhibitions in the 21st Century?”, will be uploaded to NCL’s Distance Learning Platform, allowing more members of the library community to access it for observation and learning.