Record attendance at our library in 2025
Attendance at events at the Library increased by 81% year-on-year. The Heimar and Himingeimar festival was a huge success, with 10,000 attendees. The year 2025 was the library's last at Strandgata 1. It will move to Fjörður this year.
A big year for the Hafnarfjörður Library
„Homeworlds and Heavens stood out in 2025. Attendance at this costume and gaming convention exceeded our wildest expectations. We're saying 10,000 and we know that's certainly not an overestimate,“ says Sigrún Guðnadóttir, director of the Hafnarfjörður Library, when asked to name the highlight of the year.
„The worlds are a manifestation of a new era for the country's libraries. The adventures of the books come to life. Here, everyone has their own place and world,“ says Sigrún. „The festival is here to stay and will next be held on the first weekend in September at our new library in Firði.“
Yes, a big year lies ahead. The library is moving to Fjörð, expanding, being modernised and, as ever, will be a popular stopping-off point.
More people visited the library
„Attendance was 126,000 this year, an increase of 19%,“ says Sigrún about the library's attendance. „Issues were 128,000, an increase of 4%.“ That's not the only increase the Library saw this year. Attendance at events increased by 81% year-on-year.
„These are all our events: family sessions, story times, visiting authors. All sorts.“
Sigrún mentions more victories from the year. The library has been on the move and visited the Science Festival at Harpa. „There, Hugrún Margrét was with her theme boxes, her own entrepreneurial venture here which has been a great success. A fantastic project that goes into the town's schools and nurseries, all slots fully booked and visited to create our 3000-degree corner at the Science Festival.“
A job that stretches far and wide
The reporter feels that the director is now forgetting one key event of the year. The Polish honorary award that she and Katarzyna Chojnowska, Kasia, a former employee of the Hafnarfjörður Library, received for the Polish cultural events and their work at the library. Sigrún is proud, and Sylwia Zajkowska has now taken over the position at the library. 
„We promote Polish culture. Sylwia looks to the present day and what, for example, Polish artists are doing in Iceland. That's great,“ says Sigrún.
„Yes, we are continuing on the same path and giving all the nation's people the opportunity to come to the library. We look forward to welcoming residents of Hafnarfjörður and visitors to our new library in Firði. It will be a cultural centre, a place where we can meet and enjoy ourselves.“