From 9 to 13 June 2025, the Information and Library Centre of the Medical University of Lodz hosted a unique event — the EAHIL 2025 Workshop, organized in cooperation with the European Association for Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL), a European organization bringing together specialists in scientific information and medical librarianship.
 
Held in Poland for the first time, the event brought together over 200 participants from across Europe — including librarians, medical information experts, and representatives of academic and educational institutions. For many attendees, it was not only an opportunity to expand their knowledge, but also a chance to build relationships and collectively shape the future of medical libraries in a rapidly evolving world of science and technology.
 
Theme: IMAGINE
 
The guiding theme of the workshop was IMAGINE, an acronym representing: Inform, Manage, AI, Grow, Integrate, Network, Explore. Each of these words defined the thematic areas of the sessions, workshops, and presentations.

Participants had the opportunity to take part in around twenty interactive workshops, seven oral presentation sessions, two 3-minute lightning talk sessions, and various other activities.

Topics covered during the event included knowledge management, open access, integration with healthcare systems, information literacy education, the use of artificial intelligence, and innovative tools in medical librarianship.
 
Special Guests and Inspiring Talks
 
The list of invited speakers included Janina Bąk , better known as Janina Daily, a popular science communicator specializing in statistics, business trainer, and bestselling author, including the widely acclaimed book “Statistically Speaking: How Much Chocolate Do You Have to Eat to Win a Nobel Prize?”. Her humorous yet insightful presentation was met with an enthusiastic response from participants.

The conference concluded with a keynote by Dr. Michał Żytomirski, lecturer at the University of Lodz and expert in information architecture, UX/UI, and IT marketing. In his talk titled “I don’t understand it, but I use it”, he addressed the evolution of technology and the controversies surrounding artificial intelligence. He encouraged attendees to reflect on how we use innovations that we may not fully understand — but which increasingly shape our everyday lives.
 
International Exchange and Promotion of Polish Achievements
 
The EAHIL 2025 Workshop also provided a valuable opportunity to showcase the achievements of the Polish medical library community. Many participants from Poland presented their projects, sharing insights and experiences with colleagues from across Europe. This unique fusion of the Polish Problem Conference of Medical Libraries with a major international event created a dynamic space for dialogue, inspiration, and future collaboration.

The EAHIL 2025 Workshop in Lodz was a landmark event that will remain a significant milestone in the history of Polish medical librarianship.
 
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants for their presence, engagement, and contribution to creating an open and inspiring environment for knowledge exchange.
 

Conference Organizers:

Information and Library Centre of the Medical University of Lodz
Foundation for the Medical University of Lodz
Medical University of Lodz
 

The event was held under the honorary patronage of:

Ministry of Science and Higher Education
Rector of the Medical University of Lodz
Mayor of the City of Lodz, Hanna Zdanowska
Conference of Directors of Academic Libraries of Polish Universities