Knowledge of foreign languages is one of the main competences of a modern educated person, which helps to get to know the world better while traveling, read books and watch movies in the original language, expand one’s circle of friends, and even have a more successful career. Today, there are many opportunities for language learning – various courses, private lessons, independent learning or non-formal educational activities, where people get together in a community, socialize, and spend their free time in a fun way.
Since 2018, the English conversations club “Let’s Talk” has been operating in Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library, bringing together a community of over 50 members. People visiting the club are true English language enthusiasts, for whom these sessions are not only a favourite activity in their free time, but also an opportunity to meet like-minded people. Club meetings are held in the library once a week, and twice a week one can join remote club classes. Participants from other Lithuanian cities and even other countries who want to improve their English language skills take part in online sessions.
The club hosts discussions on a wide variety of social, psychological, and philosophical topics, discusses films, exhibitions and read books, goes on educational trips.
The club cooperates with English language enthusiasts from Riga (Latvia), and also meets online with the reading club from Ray County Library in Missouri (USA).
“Let’s Talk” club participated in the Erasmus partnership project with Latvian adult learners. During the implementation of the project, learners from both countries learned from each other about effective methods of learning English. Currently, the English conversations club is participating in the Erasmus program project implemented by the library and in 2025 they are planning to go to Ireland to participate in classes organized for people coming to Ireland who want to learn English.
The Language Café has been operating in the library for the second year. This club is a space where people who have knowledge and skills of a particular foreign language meet and where they can have at least one conversation partner on a topic chosen by the moderators. Enthusiasts who speak English, French, German, Spanish, Italian get together here. Foreigners living in the city and learning Lithuanian visit Language Café to get a chance to practice their Lithuanian.
The meetings of the English conversation club “Let’s Talk” and the Language Cafe are often further enlivened by guests coming to the library from various countries with Erasmus program visits. Adult education centres, adult language schools, libraries are interested in informal language learning in the library. Guests from Spain, Italy, Finland, Greece, Georgia, the United States of America and other countries have participated in the library clubs’ sessions. Such meetings not only bring fun to club activities, but also encourage cross-cultural connections.
Library staff are motivated to improve their English skills as well and a group of Panevėžys County Library specialists meet weekly for one-hour meetings, where they discuss various leisure and professional topics in English. Panevėžys region library specialists participate in one-hour weekly online classes.
This information has been prepared on the occasion of Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library and its partner Chrzanów Public Library (Poland) collaboration in the campaign of promoting library services and activities.
Virginija Švedienė
Coordinator of Adult Education Activities