15 January 2024

Officially concludes the term of office for Professor Dr. R. Gudauskas, the Director General of the National Library

The term of office of Professor Dr. Renaldas Gudauskas, the Director General of the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, officially concludes on January 15, 2024. By court decision, the appointment of a new leader to assume the position is currently on hold. Therefore, as of January 16, by the decision of the Ministry of Culture, Aidas Sinkevičius, the Deputy Director General for Infrastructure, will temporarily oversee the National Library.

Professor Dr. R. Gudauskas has been leading the National Library since 2010. During this period, the National Library underwent a reconstruction valued at 26 million euros and has implemented projects of national importance, benefiting not only the National Library but also users of services from other libraries, and cultural and educational institutions.

In 2012, the project "Libraries for Innovation", funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was completed. During this project, 1200 public internet access points were installed in public libraries. From 2014 to 2016, the "Libraries for Innovation 2" project to strengthen project management competencies in libraries was implemented. During the 2014–2020 European Union (EU) financing period, the National Library was entrusted with projects totaling over 23 million euros: the modernization of the Lithuanian Integral Information System of Libraries (LIBIS), the Virtual Electronic Heritage Information System (VEPIS), and the updating of public internet access points in public libraries. In 2022, the Cultural Passport information system was modernized and program administration was taken over. The EU-funded project to enhance the competencies of cultural workers, implemented from 2021 to 2023, influenced the decision to execute a comprehensive competency enhancement project covering the entire cultural sector from 2023 to 2026. Projects totaling approximately 26 million euros are planned for implementation during 2023–2026: a common portal for digitized and digital cultural and audiovisual content, electronic services and dissemination will be created based on VEPIS, cultural heritage information systems will be modernized, and national activities such as "Reading Promotion Programme" will be coordinated annually.

On February 15, 2021, by the decree of the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Professor Dr. R. Gudauskas was awarded the Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania for his contributions to the Republic of Lithuania and the promotion of the Lithuanian name worldwide.