BiblioGreen
RESIDENCIES FOR SUSTAINABLE LIBRARIES
THE RESIDENCY
10 Goethe-Institutes from Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine invite experts and libraries to participate in a project centered on sustainable and green libraries.
The library residency creates space for creative ideas, promotes sustainable action and strengthens libraries as vibrant spaces of transformation. The goal is to foster ecological responsibility and establish libraries as centers of expertise for sustainability.
Residency Goal: What We Aim to Achieve Together
The library residency creates space for creative ideas, promotes sustainable action and strengthens libraries as vibrant spaces of transformation. The goal is to foster ecological responsibility and establish libraries as centers of expertise for sustainability.
Shaping the Future: Libraries as Sustainable Knowledge Spaces
- Strengthening libraries as centers of expertise for sustainability: developing and implementing strategies on topics such as recycling, environmental education and circular economy
- Libraries as networking spaces: promoting exchange between librarians, experts, journalists and activists in the fields of ecology and sustainability
- Libraries as drivers of social change: integrating sustainability as a core component of library work
PROJECT TIMELINE AND KEY PROGRAM ELEMENTS
The project will launch in fall 2025 with a digital kick-off event and initial networking activities. This will be followed by several online formats for professional exchange and short residency stays in 10 libraries. The project will conclude with a joint meeting of all participants in Warsaw.
PARTICIPATING LIBRARIES AND THEIR GREEN PROJECTS
Ofelya Dalakyan was born in Yerevan in 1994. She graduated from the Khachatur Abovyan Pedagogical University, Faculty of Philology, and later continued her studies at the National Academy of Sciences. During her academic years, she worked as an Armenian language teacher at the AMI Development Center. Since 2018, she has been employed in the library sector: from 2018 to 2020, she worked in the Department of Children’s Literature; between 2020 and 2022, she served as Head of the Art Department; from 2022 to 2023, she worked at the Forestry Committee of the Ministry of Environment as an assistant to the Committee Chairman; and, since 2023, she is Head of the Department of Children’s Literature at the Central Library. Since 2012, she has been contributing to the TV Alik newspaper. Ofelya enjoys writing and has already published three books. She writes short stories and fairy tales, and has won two fairy tale competitions, receiving first prize in both.
Nadina Grebović-Lendo holds two Master’s degrees – in Literary History and in Comparative Literature and Library Science – from the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sarajevo, where she is currently pursuing a PhD in Information Sciences. She serves as Director of the University of Sarajevo Library and Head of the Faculty of Philosophy Library. She has been engaged in developing sustainable and innovative practices in higher education libraries and continues to explore ideas related to green libraries. She participated in the Goethe-Institut project Common Waste – Common Libraries, which focused on ecological perspectives in library work. Her current activities also include supporting open-access publishing models without print editions, promoting digital and environmentally conscious approaches in librarianship.
Giorgi Chichinadze is the Director of the Library at Akaki Tsereteli State University, a position he has held since 2006. Alongside this role, he has worked in various libraries and cultural institutions across Georgia. He also serves as editor of the electronic journal Bulletin of ATSU and has long-standing experience in vocational education, having led and taught librarianship programs at ATSU and at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Currently, he is pursuing a PhD in Philology at ATSU, with research focused on ancient Greek and Roman libraries, and he actively participates in international trainings, conferences, and publications.
Archontissa Choudalaki is a Librarian who received her Bachelor’s degree from the Department of Library Science and Information Systems of the School of Administration and Economics of Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki in 1999. She served as a Librarian at the Library of the Merchant Navy Academy of Crete from 2011 to 2021. She is currently a Librarian at the Children's and Adolescents' Library of Souda in Municipality of Chania, with actions in the domains of Environmental Sustainability and Ecological Awareness in collaboration with the National Library of Greece. Her main interest concerns the creation of educational programs and activities for children, while her special skills include artistic capabilities, collection development, catalogization, communication with the public and related services, and provision of positive experiences to the users. She attended the training program "DESIGNING EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN CULTURE DOMAIN" in 2024, where she successfully participated in the knowledge and skills assessment and certification exams.
Oliwia Gancarz is 26 years old and for the past two years she has been working as a librarian at Bioteka, an ecology-focused library in Lublin. She loves being surrounded by books, but also by plants – floristry and greenery are passions of hers, so she really enjoys the natural atmosphere of her workplace. She is engaged in various environmental initiatives and keep developing her skills; right now, she is taking a Google course on AI. Beyond the library, she finds joy in hiking in the Polish mountains, traveling, and exploring culture – especially theatre. She often brings these inspirations into her library activities and workshops with children.
Ana-Maria Daneș is the Director of the German Cultural Center Sibiu, where she develops cultural and educational projects that connect communities through language, creativity, and shared values. With a background in Germanistik and French philology, and certified by the Goethe-Institut, she brings over a decade of experience in German language education, cultural management, and international cooperation.
Her interdisciplinary workshops—such as the “Furnica Workshop”—blend literature, history, and natural science, encouraging young learners to reflect on cooperation, storytelling, and the natural world. These formats create spaces for communication and coexistence with nature, often using metaphor and playful dialogue to spark curiosity.
Ana-Maria has built strong networks between institutions, educators, and civil society, and is committed to positioning libraries and cultural spaces as hubs of innovation, ecological awareness, and community engagement. Fluent in English and experienced in mentoring, she brings her expertise in creative programming and intercultural education to the Library Residency for Sustainability.
Marija Radulović is a Senior Graduate Librarian at the City Library "Vladislav Petković Dis" in Čačak, Serbia, where she has worked since 2007. With a Master’s in Serbian language and literature and over 15 years of experience, she specializes in cultural-educational programming, publishing, and international cooperation. Marija is deeply engaged in promoting sustainability through library initiatives, including the award-winning project “Water Taken for Granted” and the ECO-ZONE platform for ecological literacy. Her work has been recognized by IFLA ENSULIB and presented at national and international conferences. She collaborates with cultural institutions across Europe and serves on several professional boards, including the Library Association of Serbia. Marija views libraries as dynamic spaces for dialogue, innovation, and sustainable development, bridging culture, community, and environmental responsibility.
Simona Svitková currently works at the Old Town City Library in Bratislava, where she is actively involved in both library operations and community development around one of its branch locations. Alongside this, she contributes to the library’s educational and methodological department, helping to shape its long-term vision and outreach. With a background in art and design, Simona is passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration and the creation of more thoughtful environments — physical, mental, and virtual — that support learning, connection, and wellbeing.
Ali Fuat Kartal has been the long-standing chairperson of the Turkish Librarians’ Association (TKD) and is a leading figure in the Turkish library sector. With his extensive experience in library work and library development, he has been committed for many years to the professionalization and social recognition of the librarian profession. A particular focus of his work is the sustainable development of libraries: Ali Fuat Kartal promotes innovative concepts that place ecological, social, and economic sustainability at the center, and advocates for libraries as future-oriented, open spaces for knowledge and community. In addition, he actively supports numerous initiatives for the establishment and further development of libraries throughout Turkey, thus making a significant contribution to strengthening the country’s library landscape.
Natalija Dyba heads the Department for International Projects at the Scientific National Library of Odessa. She has worked in the library sector since 1975 and has been with ONNB since 2004. Since 2010, she has led the Department for Foreign Language Literature and International Projects. She coordinates the library’s international activities, including the Window on America Information and Resource Center (supported by the U.S. Embassy), the German Reading Room (in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut), the French Literature Reading Room, and collaborations with consulates and international organizations. Dyba actively represents ONNB at international conferences and online forums such as Occupy Library Innovators Hub and One World, One Library Network. She organizes reading clubs (e.g., Literature Discussion Club, Film Club, Rhetoric Club), advises users on study opportunities in the U.S., and conducts bibliographic research in international databases. She also translates and writes scholarly materials for the library.
PARTICIPATING EXPERTS
Mariam Aleksanyan is an Armenia-based educator, educational program designer, and project manager with extensive practical experience in sustainability education, community engagement initiatives, and social-emotional learning (SEL). She has led multiple grant-funded programs on environmental awareness and community well-being. Aleksanyan also co-founded several educational and nonprofit initiatives, including Totik Social-Cultural Development NGO, and works with diverse audiences of all ages and backgrounds, ranging from schoolchildren to adults. Currently a Ph.D. student at Yerevan State University in the Theory and History of Education, Aleksanyan specializes in developing inclusive, creative, challenge-based learning formats aligned with environmental sustainability and social development goals.
Dr. Hannelore Vogt, long-time director of the municipal libraries in Cologne and Würzburg, earned a qualification from the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce as a “Transformation Manager for Sustainability in the Cultural Sector.” She served, among other roles, as Chair of the Information & Library Advisory Board at the Goethe-Institut, and was a member of various committees—such as the Public Libraries Standing Committee and Metropolitan Libraries—within the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). She also worked as a Strategic Advisor for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the Global Libraries program. For many years, she has taught change management at the Free University of Berlin. Internationally, she has been active in over 30 countries as a speaker on library development, transformation of services and spaces, library marketing, sustainability, innovation management, and human resource development.
Nino Barjadze was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, on April 18, 1988, and completed her schooling there. She studied Dentistry at Tbilisi State Medical University from 2005 to 2010 and completed a residency in Therapeutic Stomatology from 2010 to 2012. From 2013 to 2020, she worked as a dentist. During the pandemic, she decided to change her career path and began learning about environmental issues. In 2024 she took a course on Waste Management, Biosphere Degradation and Environmental Sustainability. She also launched her eco blog in 2024, and in 2025, she hosted 16 episodes of the “Ecofriendly Podcast” on YouTube.
Domniki Vagiati, born in 1996 in Thessaloniki, Greece, is an educator, manager, dancer and performer. Passionate about teamwork and ensembles, her research interests lie in the fields of psychopedagogy, environmental education, the commons, and art. She explores embodied, multimodal interactions of students with public spaces, and their perceptions, lived experiences, and representations. She holds an MA in Art and Education and a BA in Pedagogy. She has lived and worked in schools in Finland and Denmark, and since 2020 she has been serving as COO at Mamagea Environmental Organization. There, she designs and implements sustainable environmental projects with school communities, aiming to transform public schools into vibrant learning environments and hubs of environmental creativity through the participatory creation of green infrastructures.
Agata Antonina Zgliczyńska is the founder of the Circular Fashion Foundation in Poland, where she promotes fashion as a tool for education, sustainability, and social engagement. She designs and leads workshops, festivals, and training sessions that connect NGOs, schools, artisans, and local authorities around circular practices such as reuse, repair, and responsible consumption. Her approach combines creativity, nudging, and participatory methods to make circularity accessible and inspiring for communities. Recognized as an advocate of circular fashion in Poland, she builds alliances across civic and cultural sectors, empowering people to turn fashion into a driver of change and resilience.
Dr Şerban Scrieciu is an economist with interests in climate action, social inclusion, and alternative economies that better serve society and nature. He is currently working as a policy analyst for the European Commission in Brussels, provides advice on MBA curriculum development for the London Interdisciplinary School (LIS), and is also a teaching fellow with the University College London (contributing to UCL's Summer School). He is also the founder and director of Interdisciplinary Climate Economics for Nature and Society - ICENS lab. This is a not-for-profit company that promotes diversity of economic thought in education, research and practice, and fosters dialogue between economics and the world of arts and humanities for progressing towards more sustainable futures. Şerban is natively from Romania, with an MA degree from the University of Sussex and a PhD from The University of Manchester, both in the UK. When time permits, he enjoys pursuing urban photography, and discovering places and cultures.
Marija Marković is an artist and activist. She earned her Master’s degree from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade in 2011, and another Master’s degree from Parsons School of Design in New York in 2017. Marković is an interdisciplinary artist whose work spans video, painting, drawing, installation, and sculpture. Her recent work explores the mental, physical, and social implications of climate change. She is also a co-founder and activist of the civic organization Zeleni talas (Green Wave), dedicated to environmental preservation and protection, with a particular focus on air pollution issues in her hometown of Čačak. In addition, she co-founded and serves as the artistic director of Fragment Inc., a company that researches new materials and produces panels made from recycled glass.
Žofia Kutlíková Jakubová studied law and international relations and after years abroad she co-founded a local environmental NGO Pestrec in 2018, which focuses mainly on experiential environmental education in schools. She is co-leader of the community garden KOZA in Nitra which educates about ecological gardening, planting processes and also supports multicultural and age-diverse community. She believes the changes comes through emotions, cooperation and relations.
Anna Prokaeva is an environmentalist, head of the NGO “Zero Waste Kharkiv,” and board member of the national association “Ukrainian Alliance Zero Waste.” She works in sustainable development, waste management, and environmental education. She is the founder and coordinator of the “Zero Waste Ekohab” network, the professional training course “Zero Waste Academy,” and the educational project for teachers and children “Zero Waste Camp Kids.” Together with her team, she introduced composting in Ukrainian communities and co-authored and edited handbooks on circular approaches to waste management. She also implemented a pilot project for the circular demolition and reconstruction of a destroyed building in the village of Ruska Lozova (Kharkiv region). For several years, she coordinated the “Let’s Do It, Ukraine!” campaign in Kharkiv. For eleven years, she was the author and host of the TV show “Fabrika idej” (Idea Factory), which showcased innovative Ukrainian solutions, especially in ecology and energy efficiency. She won the “Land of Women 2019” competition by the Yves Rocher Foundation with her concept of an eco-hub as a zero-waste space.
CONTACT
Nikoletta Stathopoulou, Head of Library and Information
nikoletta.stathopoulou@goethe.de