Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania presents the exhibition “The History of the Golden Compass: Books by the Officina Plantiniana Throughout the Centuries” commemorates the 500th anniversary of the birth of Christophe Plantin (1520-1589), the founder of the famous publishing house, the Officina Plantiniana.

With the quarantine conditions being eased by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the National Library opens for its visitors the increasing number of spaces and opportunities to work and study.

There has been a decision by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania that information about research and experimental development be presented for the evaluation by the Research Council of Lithuania not only by Lithuania‘s universities and research institutes but also national level libraries. This year, the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, for the first time, presents information about research publications from the fields of humanities and social sciences by its staff members. They will be evaluated by experts from the Research Council of Lithuania. The first stage of this process will be presentation of works from the field of humanities within the system for the evaluation of the results of research activity “Vieversys”. During the second stage, which will last until June, this system will be supplemented with social research works.

After quarantine was declared, the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania suspended physical servicing of users and entirely focused on providing remote services. Such a decision justified itself to a full extent: statistics shows that virtual visitors willingly embraced the possibilities to work, learn and spend meaningful leisure time. The demand for some services increased even manifold.

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania presents the exhibition of Paulina Mongirdaitė known as Lithuania’s first female photographer in the history of Lithuanian photography.

The National Library Week, which proceeds in the virtual environment this year and has moved into its end, allows taking a closer look at how libraries as cultural institutions contribute to fostering progressive society and reducing digital and social divide. For more than a decade, libraries have been teaching citizens to use the internet and digital technologies and thus prepared people for outlasting the complicated circumstances of the quarantine: shopping online, using electronic services, communicating virtually, etc. Recent initiatives, which gained wide public attention, also show their significant contribution: during the quarantine, libraries voluntarily started to print protective face screens for medical professionals by using 3D printers (over 6500 such screens have been already printed) and offered to put at the provisional disposal of local authorities newly obtained computers for supplying the needs of schoolchildren involved in the process of remote learning.

The Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania invites to the exhibition of photographs by Zenonas Nekrošius and Virgilijus Usinavičius.

Easter 2020.

With quarantine. With remote work. Different. These are the words accompanying this year‘s Easter. Even during this troubled period, festive traditions persist. A majority of them pass on to a virtual environment, but I am confident that temporary challenges will not defeat our Resurrection awareness.

The Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania together with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania is seeking ways how to assist Lithuania‘s teachers and schoolchildren during the quarantine. Timely investments into the modernization of libraries during this complicated period allow helping those who are in need for computers.

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania in cooperation with the country’s public libraries are actively involved in the Robotics School’s initiative to help produce 3D printed face shields for healthcare workers. Over 50 public libraries of Lithuania have joined this initiative.

Is your library open for public during the quarantine period?

The services of the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania are currently only available via remote access.

We would like to remind library users that they can use foreign online resources subscribed by the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania from the comfort of their home.

During the current extended quarantine period, library users are welcome to read books at home. 

You can remotely access Naxos Music Library, an online music database subscribed by the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania. It offers an extensive catalogue of high-quality audio recordings including classical music and other genres as well as audio books, film scores and lectures on the history of classical music and opera. The library also contains synopses and librettos of over 700 operas, glossaries, descriptions of various pieces of music and other information resources.

We remind you that from 13 March until 13 April, the National Library is temporarily providing only remote services and has cancelled all events.

In 2019, the company of market and media research Kantar carried out a representative research of Lithuania’s public libraries commissioned by the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania. The research showed significant contribution by public libraries to the development of digital literacy and changes in this direction during recent decades.

Dear visitors, on the 11th of February National Library is closing at 5 p.m.

The global market and media research company Kantar has conducted a survey of Lithuanian libraries to find out how library visitors rate the quality of the services provided by these institutions, their opinion about the libraries’ internet service as well as to gain insights on the habits, motives and benefits of the usage of the public internet access in libraries. The survey which took place from 28 May 2019 to 3 October 2019 involved a sample of 4,668 visitors aged 15 or older. In summarising results from the survey, Renata Sadunišvili, Insight and Marketing Research Director at Kantar, said that Lithuanian libraries have earned a very high level of trust among visitors, they are making real efforts to change and improve the quality of life of visitors and that they meet their expectations and have established themselves as strong centres of community life. “There is one challenge that the extensive, unified and strong network of Lithuanian libraries and its professional staff is tackling. That challenge is to develop strategies, implement them and uphold the high levels of service,” said the insight and research specialist.

On 23 January, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Lithuania to the United Nations opened the exhibition titled “Reflections in the Shattered Mirror” at the United Nation’s headquarters in New York. The exhibition is dedicated to the history of the Jews of Lithuania and is held to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the Year of the Vilna Gaon and the History of the Jews of Lithuania.