Libraries and critical thinking discussed at Chisinau literary festival

At the Chisinau International Literature and Translation Festival, experts discussed the evolving role of libraries in the age of artificial intelligence. Elena Pintilei, director of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova, stated that libraries can transform AI into an ally to help individuals develop deep reading, comparison, and critical thinking skills in an increasingly crowded information environment.

Marcela Nistor, a state secretary at the Ministry of Culture, emphasized that libraries play a vital role in combating disinformation and fostering interest in deep reading across all ages, regardless of whether content is consumed via podcasts, e-books, or print. Literary critic Emilian Galaicu-Păun encouraged young people to enter the profession, noting the importance of librarians staying connected to international literary trends.

The eighth edition of this conference included specialists from national libraries in Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania.

Separately, discussions regarding literature highlight how certain books become generational touchstones. This phenomenon is driven by accessibility, clear storytelling, and the influence of film adaptations. Books often serve as shared cultural references that facilitate conversation between different age groups, sometimes acting as physical objects of family memory through personal notes or dedications.