Polish Program of Hafnarfjörður Library Presented at Conference

The Library’s Polish Program in Focus

“It’s important for libraries to offer activities that promote diverse services and access for people from different cultural backgrounds,” said Hugrún Margrét and Sylwia Zajkowska from Hafnarfjörður Library when they presented their work at a conference on libraries in a multicultural context.

The conference was held on September 11th at Kópavogur Library for library staff, people working with immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, and others interested in multiculturalism. The focus was on how libraries can improve services for people of different cultural origins.

In their presentation, they talked about the library’s Polish program and how it is a good example of a library being more than just a place for books: it’s a space where cultural participation, language skills, and community connections come together.

The Polish program includes a variety of activities for all age groups. For example, story times, craft workshops, courses, and events that support Polish-speaking visitors but are also open to the library’s wider community.

The presentation highlighted the importance of the Polish program and showed how other libraries can take inspiration from Hafnarfjörður’s experience in creating an inclusive and multicultural library space.

The initiative has attracted attention both in Iceland and in Poland. Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland, awarded Sigrún Guðnadóttir, director of the library, and her predecessor in the role, Katarzyna Chojnowska, the Order of Merit of Poland, an honorary distinction for service to the Polish community and Poles abroad.

Hafnarfjörður Library regularly hosts a range of events showcasing Polish cultural heritage and improving access for Polish-speaking guests. Upcoming events include:

• November 15th: Celebration of Poland’s Independence Day with art, music, traditional costumes, a Polish story hour with Icelandic subtitles, and a treasure hunt for children in both Icelandic and Polish.

• December 6th: Święty Mikołaj, the Polish Santa, will visit along with Grýlubarn to entertain children.

• Family Mondays: Every Monday until December, from 16:00 to 18:00, featuring creative crafts for everyone.

All events at Hafnarfjörður Library are open to the public free of charge.