Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library, in order to promote the linguistic education of young people and adults, initiated the activities of the Language Café. The library staff brought this idea from the Alcala de Henares CEPA Don Juan I Adult Education Center (Spain). They visited the Center in March, 2023, together with representatives of municipal public libraries of Panevėžys region. Panevėžys County Public Library together with its partners –  twelve municipal libraries of the Panevėžys region –  implement the  Erasmus+ program accreditation project.

The project at the CEPA Don Juan I Adult Education Center is called "Te regalo me lengua" ("I give you my language"). Project events are meetings of people who want to communicate in a chosen foreign language with other participants. When librarians from the Panevėžys region visited the Alcala de Henares Adult Education Center, they had the opportunity to participate in one of the sessions, during which the participants communicated in groups in English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, and Ukrainian. The topic of happiness was chosen for the discussion.

This inclusive format, which promotes communication and improves language skills, proved to be very attractive to Lithuanian librarians, so when they returned home, they soon started this activity in the Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library. More than twenty language enthusiasts of various age groups, have become interested in this activity. The topics for the meetings are chosen by the participants themselves together with the moderators of the Language Café.

The participants of the Language Café assure that they value this idea very much. People like the democratic atmosphere and format of the event, the opportunity not only to improve foreign language skills, but also the opportunity to discuss with like-minded people over a cup of coffee or tea, and maybe make friends in the future. The topics of hobbies, travel, vacations, books and movies, family traditions and culture have already been discussed at the meetings.

The purpose of Language Café sessions is not teaching, but practice, so the meetings are most suitable for those who have already learned the chosen foreign language and want to refresh their knowledge and skills, gain confidence in communicating with foreigners. Foreign guests staying in the city are also welcome - Joe, a Brittish guy living in the city of Panevėžys, comes here to communicate in Lithuanian because he wants to learn this language.

The students and teachers of the Alcala de Henares Adult Education Center were able to see for themselves that their idea was successfully adopted by the Lithuanian library. While implementing the project of their school's Erasmus+ program, they visited Panevėžys in June and participated in the meeting of the Language Cafe in the Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library.

The Erasmus+ program not only allows you to get acquainted with the practices of libraries in other European countries, expands opportunities for cooperation, but also inspires program participants-librarians for creative initiatives in their institutions, encourages the development of new services that are relevant for visitors and helps to build communities.

Virginija Švedienė, Coordinator of Adult Education Activities of Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library