From 11 to 13 May 2026, the 53rd international ABDOS conference
"Libraries and Exile: Books, Readers, Stories"
will take place at the Slavonic Library (Národní knihovna ČR – Slovanská knihovna) in Prague
Prague is home to unique library and archive collections related to the phenomenon of exile, both in content and in provenance. Likewise, Prague is a place of lively academic discussions about political and literary exile. This ABDOS conference will therefore focus on exile and emigration in relation to libraries and archives worldwide. We look forward to three days of exchange and discussion!
Here you can -> download the programme with information (as of 1st of April, 2026).
Conference organisation:
The conference is jointly organised by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Bibliotheken und Dokumentationsstellen der Ost-, Ostmittel- und Südosteuropaforschung, ABDOS e.V. and the Slavonic Library (Národní knihovna ČR – Slovanská knihovna) in Prague, in cooperation with and supported by the Museum of Czech Literature (Památník národního písemnictví – Muzeum literatury), the Institute of Slavonic Studies of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Slovanský ústav Akademie věd ČR) and the Czech Society for Slavic, Balkan and Byzantine Studies (Česká společnost pro slavistická, balkanistická a byzantologická studia).
The conference will take place on site. Prague offers a wide range of accommodation options; please make your own accomodation arrangements in good time.
The official conference languages are German and English. There will be no simultaneous interpretation.
Registration and additional events
The conference fee is 110€ (ABDOS members) / 160€ (non-members) / 500€ (commercial providers) (including coffee breaks and lunch). Entry for selected days is at 40€ (members) / 60€ (non-members) per day. Members of COSEELIS and BESEDA profit from the same price level as ABDOS members.
Participation is free of charge for colleagues from the cooperating institutions and for speakers from the Czech Republic.
There are limited possibilities to support colleagues from Central and Eastern Europe to receive a financial contribution towards their travel expenses. Please enquire individually below.
Registration deadline: 22 April 2026
In addition to the official programme, there is also the possibility to join an informal gathering on the evening of May 10, 2026, guided tours to the Museum of Czech Literature and the Slavonic library and a visit to the German Embassy in Prague. Please register for those events below.
Immediately after the conference the Book World Prague 2026 - Svět knihy Praha 2026 (Link: https://svetknihy.cz/praha2026) will take place giving participants the opportunity to get acquainted with the world of writing, publishing and reading in the Czech Republic.
