The Seventh Shanghai International Library Forum (SILF7) with the theme "Libraries in the Transition Era: NewSspace • New Services • New Experience" was held at the Shanghai Library on July 9 - 11. Over 400 delegates from 26 countries and regions attended the forum, including experts and representatives from library communities in all parts of China and the global partners of the Shanghai Library "Window of Shanghai" international exchange program.

The opening ceremony was held in the auditorium of the Shanghai Library in the morning of July 10, presided over by Ye Ruqiang, Communist Party Secretary of the Shanghai Library. On behalf of the Shanghai Library, Director Wu Jianzhong gave his welcoming remarks. Han Yongjin, Director of the China National Library, Liu Xiaoqin from the Department of Public Culture, the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Chen Dong, Deputy Director of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee gave their speeches at the opening ceremony.

On the opening day of the forum, Sinikka Sipilä, President of IFLA, Wang Zhan, President of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, and Ingrid Parent, University Librarian, The University of British Columbia and former President of IFLA delivered keynote speeches. Tay Ai Cheng, Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Librarian, Public Libraries Group of the National Library Board of Singapore, Zhou Deming, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Library, Belinda T. K. Ramnauth, Director of the National Library of Mauritius, Aurel Papari, Rector of Andrei Şaguna” University of Constanţa in Romania, Paweł Braun, Director of The Joseph Conrad – Korzeniowski’s Voivodship and Municipal Public Library of Gdańsk in Poland, and Anton V. Likhomanov, Director General of the National Library of Russia spoke at the Plenary Session.

This forum has received nearly one hundred papers from 21 countries and regions, and a total of 71 outstanding papers are published in the Proceedings. The organizing committee selected 48 papers to be presented as the keynote speeches and speeches at the plenary session and the concurrent sessions on July 11.

The theme of this forum is “Libraries in the Transition Era: New Space • New Services • New Experience”, and there are six subthemes, including “The role of and challenges to libraries in the context of digital humanities”, “Library services and management in the Big Data era”, “The orientation and development of physical libraries in the network society”, “Diversified library services and core competitiveness”, “Skill requirements and career vision of librarians in the Omni-media age”, “Reading for All (digital reading promotion) and libraries”. The forum focuses on library transformation and innovation, stressing that the library advance with the times and have scientific development. The forum has provided a platform for the domestic and international library and information experts, scholars and colleagues to demonstrate and exchange ideas and seek cooperation, and its extensive and in-depth discussions will also provide a theoretical guidance for the future LIS development as well.