On August 28, 2025, the ELTE University Library and Archives hosted the thirteenth annual professional conference entitled Traditions and Challenges. This year's program featured presentations on the topics of Archives and Sustainability and Relocations and Arrangements in the 21st Century.
Our event attracted widespread interest, with nearly 130 guests participating in our programs. Attendees were welcomed by Dr. Annamária Gombos, Director General of the ELTE University Library and Archives, and Dr. Lénárd Darázs, Rector of Eötvös Loránd University.
Following the opening speeches, Dr. Emőke Kötél, project manager at ELTE University Library and Archives, gave a presentation entitled "Warehouse Relocation and DPEKLOSZK," which was followed by a presentation by Ákos Lencsés, PhD, data manager at Pro-M Professzionális Mobil és Hálózati Szolgáltató Zrt. followed by a presentation entitled Data Management – A New Role in Research Support. The morning session concluded with a roundtable discussion entitled The Present and Future of the Domestic "Repository Ecosystem," moderated by Gábor Szeberényi, Director General (PTE University Library and Knowledge Center), and featuring András Holl, PhD (MTA Library and Information Center, Deputy Director General for Information Technology), Gyöngyi Karácsony (DE University and National Library, Director General), Dr. Ernőné Kulcsár Szabó Annamária Gombos (ELTE University Library and Archives, Director General), József Marton (BME National Technical Information Center and Library, Acting Director General), Gyula Nagy, PhD (SZTE Klebelsberg Library and Archives, Director General), and Péter Szluka (SE Central Library, Director).
Moderated by Ákos Lencsés, PhD, data scientist (Pro-M Professional Mobile and Network Service Provider Ltd.), Judit Fazekas-Paragh, acting head of department (DE University and National Library Research Support Department) gave a presentation entitled Behind the scenes: How is HUNOR shaping the future of research support in the era of Open Science? Tibor Móring, research support librarian (ELTE University Library and Archives), outlined the milestones in the development of the ELTE Thesis Repository in his presentation. Gabriella Harangi, software developer, and Emese Molnár-Jakab, digital collection manager (DE University and National Library), gave a presentation on the placement and arrangement of university documents in the repository. Endre Fülöp, PhD, system designer (Qulto), introduced the audience to the theoretical and practical issues of designing a teaching material repository. Enikő Meiszterics, collection management assistant, and Gabriella Virág, data manager, gave a presentation entitled Data Repositories in the Service of Open Science. Mátyás Attila Rényi, department head, and Gábor Klinger, deputy department head (OSZK Collection Preservation Department, Digital Preservation Division), provided insight into trends, metadata, and the challenges of data storage. In the closing presentation, Director Judit Lukácsné Varga (TF Library and Archives) and Managing Director István Sipos (Softlink Hungary Kft.) outlined methods for managing and providing controlled access to theses at the Hungarian University of Physical Education and Sport, based on the Liberty library service platform model.
The section entitled "Relocations and Arrangements in the 21st Century" was moderated by Judit Kóródy, information researcher (Infodok Kft. – Magyar Telekom Infotéka), in which Andrea Mátrai-Nagy, head of department (DE University and National Library Collection Management Department) gave a presentation entitled "...because only Books connect the past to the future...", followed by director Dávid Ritter (ELTE IT Directorate) drawing attention to the challenges and dilemmas of data management at universities. Szilvia Korom, library manager (BGE University Library), gave the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the merger of the faculty libraries of the Budapest University of Economics. Péter Maurer, managing director (M-PaKK Bt.), compiled the most important tips based on nearly forty years of relocation experience. László Balázs, department head (FSZEK IT Department), gave a presentation on the storage of electronic and paper-based documents. The section meeting was concluded with a presentation by Dr. Katalin Németh, Deputy Director of Education (ELTE BTK Institute of Library and Information Science), entitled Free Between Walls: Inclusive Space Design in Libraries.
The conference was organized with the support of the University Library Foundation, the College of University Library Directors, Eisberg Hungary Kft., the Scientific and Special Libraries Section of the Hungarian Librarians' Association, Könyvtárellátó Nonprofit Kft., ProQuest, Qulto, and Softlink. Abstracts of the presentations are available on our website. The ELTE University Library and Archives plans to publish a collection of studies on the 13th Professional Day of Traditions and Challenges, which will also be available in electronic form in the ELTE EDIT repository.