As part of the Erasmus+ programme, in addition to job-shadowing visits, adult educators are offered the opportunity to attend selected training courses, as well as to invite experts from participating countries who can assist the host organization in improving teaching and learning, introducing new teaching methods, or facilitating the transfer of best practices.

Public libraries in Lithuania are actively involved in non-formal education, encouraging lifelong learning, enhancing cultural and digital competencies, and fostering community engagement among their visitors. The Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library offers a wide range of educational activities and leisure clubs for visitors of various age groups, thereby creating opportunities for personal development and significantly contributing to the educational needs of the local community.

The library’s substantial achievements in the field of non-formal education often attract the attention of international visitors. In the autumn of 2024, adult educators from the Public Adult School of Turin (CPIA 4 Torino Adriano Olivetti) (Italy) visited the library. The guests were particularly interested in non-formal adult language education offered by the library. They participated in both in-person and online sessions of the English conversation club "Let’s Talk" and attended a Language Café meeting, as well as educational activities organized by the Cultural Education Department for Children and Youth. The Italian adult education specialists also visited Anykščiai, where they learned about the non-formal adult education programmes at the L. and S. Didžiuliai Public Library and took part in educational workshops led by the library’s staff.

At the invitation of the Public Adult School of Turin and the library, Virginija Švedienė, Coordinator of Adult Education Activities at the Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library (hereinafter PAVB), and Toma Apynytė-Kirslienė, Head of the Cultural Education Department for Children and Youth, shared the library’s best practices in non-formal education and, as invited experts, conducted training sessions for the staff of the host organization.

The invited experts presented the library's non-formal educational activities for youth and adults; educational opportunities for intergenerational communities in the fields of media and information literacy and language learning; as well as the involvement of youth and adult volunteers in library activities and in representing the library.

Great interest was shown in the library's club activities, which are coordinated by both library staff and volunteers. Participants were particularly intrigued by the format of the online English conversation sessions, which allow English language enthusiasts from all over the world to take part. From now on, the "Let’s Talk" club will also include members from Italy!

During the training, participants were introduced to and practiced storytelling and visual thinking methods used in adult learner groups in the "Let’s Talk" club and Language Café. These methods are also described in the library’s e-publication Teaching English to Adults.

The Lithuanian team also shared methodologies for working with reading promotion and leisure clubs, and presented a model for involving youth and adult volunteers in library activities.

Participants of the training were introduced to and had the chance to try out activities from one of the library’s most successful initiatives—the Cookie Truck. The purpose and operating principles of this mobile educational van were presented, and participants had the opportunity to test their own knowledge in the field of media and information literacy.

The Public Adult School of Turin is also implementing an Erasmus+ accreditation project, so during the visit, the Lithuanian and Italian teams exchanged experience in coordinating and implementing Erasmus+ projects, including partner search, budget management, project publicity, and sustainability of results.

Virginija Švedienė,

Coordinator of Adult Education Activities