March 1, 2026
This year, the University Library in Belgrade hosted the Winter Forum of the Library
Association of Serbia, a traditional conference that brings together librarians from the country
and the region. The theme of this year’s conference was “Socially Responsible Library in the Age
of Manipulation and Post-Truth”. This significant professional gathering brought together
numerous librarians, IT specialists and media experts who jointly discussed the critical
challenges facing modern society in the era of disinformation.
The central theme of the Forum was the redefinition of the role of libraries in a world where
digital algorithms and artificial intelligence often blur the line between verified facts and
deliberate manipulation. During the discussions, participants emphasized that libraries are not
passive guardians of materials, but active navigators through the information chaos. Special
emphasis was placed on the importance of media, information and digital literacy as key
prerequisites for preserving democratic values and critical thinking among citizens of all
generations and the role of the library in educating citizens, but also researchers and librarians.
At this meeting, a paper related to the MILAGRO project was also presented, titled The
Contribution of the Library to Social Inclusion on the Example of the MILAGRO Project, by
Dragana Stolić, PhD, Vasilije Milnović, PhD, and Nikola Smolenski. The Local Event Manager
Dragana Stolić, PhD presented the paper, along with a short introductory speech by the Local
Coordinator Vasilije Milnović, PhD. Since each conference activity within the MILAGRO
project and its dissemination covers a certain aspect of the project, this time the central topic of
the presentation was the Observatory website and details related to the collected data. Nikola
Smolenski was also an author of the paper since he was the responsible IT expert who
participated in the formation and creation of the Observatory website and its technical aspects. In
addition to the introductory part that was more about the MILAGRO project as a whole, the
central part of the presentation was related to the Observatory site itself and its details, the data
collection methodology, as well as the role of internship students and student volunteers who
have participated in the collection of all relevant data. The event was attended by over 50 experts
and colleagues, and the presentation was followed by questions from the interested audience.
This event was also used for the Observatory Launch Event in Belgrade, but it was a separate
presentation, longer in scope and with more details.
The presentation of the project attracted great attention from colleagues, and during the
discussion, the importance of such a project was highlighted, as well as the importance of the
fact that with this project, an academic library stepped outside its daily curriculum and regular
activities. Furthermore, current issues in society were addressed, which is in line with the so-
called third mission of the University.
