What challenges confront 21st- century research libraries in Europe and North America? How can libraries more deeply engage and support scholars throughout the full life cycle of learning, digital scholarship, and interdisciplinary research partnerships?  How can libraries maintain excellence in both services and collections across a multiplicity of formats? How might regional or transnational institutional and professional alliances forge agile, sustainable collaborations to aid in this work?

These questions will be addressed at a Symposium, New Directions for Libraries, Scholars, and Partnerships, to take place on Friday, October 13, 2017, at the German National Library during the Frankfurt Book Fair.  Anticipated session topics include: collections and collaboration; digital scholarship; the publishing revolution; new dimensions of service to scholars and students; and new strategies for services and partnerships.

Since France will be the Guest of Honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2017, this is a unique opportunity for librarians and information professionals from France, Germany, North America and beyond to come together, share perspectives, and learn from leaders and colleagues. Symposium organizers are planning other activities in collaboration with local cultural institutions, universities, and libraries. In coordination with the Book Fair (October 11-15) there will be many additional events in Frankfurt celebrating France, French culture, and publishing.

The Symposium is sponsored by the Collaborative Initiative for French Language Collections (CIFNAL) and the German-North American Resources Partnership (GNARP), both working projects of the Center for Research Libraries (Chicago, USA), with support from the German National Library and other French, German, and international partners.