The IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2026 (WLIC 2026) officially opened on August 10 at BEXCO in Busan, South Korea. Organized by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and hosted by the City of Busan and the 2026 Busan WLIC National Committee, it is the world's largest international academic conference in the library and information field.
Themed Libraries Powering Transformation, the congress brings together more than 3,300 delegates from over 120 countries and regions, with more than half being international attendees. The event features over 180 professional academic presentations and parallel sessions.
At the opening ceremony, Busan Mayor announced that the city would sign a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding with IFLA and the American Library Association (ALA) to deepen international cooperation networks between Busan and major libraries worldwide.
Hall 1 of BEXCO houses 76 exhibition booths with 45 companies and organizations participating in the international exhibition. Alongside the exhibition, a Library Promotion Street featuring over 30 Korean libraries, a K-Culture Experience Zone, and an Expo Pavilion showcasing cutting-edge technologies are also open to attendees. Before the closing ceremony on August 13, the congress will organize 11 tour routes covering 33 public libraries in Busan.