The FAO AGRIS, an iniciative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),is pleased to announce that the Central Scientific Agricultural Library (CSAL) of the Russian Federation will host an international scientific conference on 14–15 October 2025, under the theme: “Scientific Libraries in the Digital Society: Challenges, Perspectives, Innovations, Technologies.”

Organized in celebration of CSAL’s 95th anniversary, the event will serve as a prominent platform to highlight the Library’s enduring contributions to agricultural knowledge and information services, while exploring the evolving role of scientific libraries in the context of digital transformation.

CSAL, founded in 1930, is one of the most prominent agricultural libraries in the Russian Federation. It has collaborated with the FAO for many years as a key data provider to FAO AGRIS. Through this collaboration, CSAL contributes extensive Russian-language metadata supporting the visibility of regional agricultural research on a global scale.

CSAL’s sustained engagement in FAO AGRIS underscores the vital role that institutional repositories play in enhancing the visibility and discoverability of agricultural science across languages and regions. By actively participating in global initiatives such as FAO AGRIS, libraries like CSAL contribute to advancing equitable access to scientific knowledge—particularly for communities operating in non-English contexts.

The conference will be of particular interest to researchers, librarians, and data managers involved in agricultural information systems, especially those working in the areas of metadata standards, digital repositories, and the transformation of library services in the digital age.

The conference agenda will address a range of key topics relevant to the evolving role of scientific libraries in the digital era, including:

• Digital transformation of libraries;
• Integration into global digital systems;
• International cooperation and information exchange;
• Application of artificial intelligence in library services;
• Preservation of and access to scientific collections.

These themes aim to foster dialogue on innovative practices, strengthen international collaboration, and support the development of inclusive, technology-driven information systems.

More details and registration information can be found on CSALs official website.