The Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania complies at all times with the security and disinfection requirements for public premises, as established by the Government, and therefore there are certain restrictions to our usual physical services. We would like to thank the library visitors in advance for their understanding and behaving responsibly when visiting.

The 7th of August of 1925 ninety-five years ago saw the start of the conference of Europe’s Jewish intellectuals, which announced the establishment of the Jewish Scientific Institute. Several months after that, the Institute started to operate in Vilnius under the abbreviated name YIVO and before long, it became a centre of attraction for the world’s Jewish diaspora. The Institute conducted innovative research in all humanitarian domains, collected a vast documentary archive and scholarly library and provided postgraduate degrees for young people from Europe and America. YIVO much contributed to the strengthening of Vilnius’s reputation as a hub of the Jewish intellectual potential. The Institute had its branches and departments in other countries (USA, Poland, Argentine, etc.). During World War II, the operation of YIVO was savagely disrupted and a great number of its team lost their lives. All functions of YIVO were taken over by its New York Branch, which has been operating as the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research up to the present day.

The exhibition hall of the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania transports the visitors into the Dreams for Everyday by one of the most original Vilnius-based artists Ina Budrytė (b. 1957). The exhibition under the title features a selection by the exhibition curator Raminta Jurėnaitė together with the artist of as many as 90 paintings on paper and an entire collection of small sketches in pencil from 1990 through 2020.

For the summer period, single artwork gallery apiece is moving from Vilnius to Palanga Summer Reading Room (part of Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania). From July to September it will be hosting three exhibitions of contemporary visual art which will be available to viewers 24/7.

Virginijus Vitalijus Vilkelis, Head of the Department of Mobilisation and Civil Resistance under the Ministry of National Defence, awarded Prof. Dr. Renaldas Gudauskas, Director General of Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania for the public spirit initiatives of the National Library and its support to the state in the face of the Covid-19 crisis.

Please be informed that from 1^st of July to 30^th of August the National Library will switch to summer opening hours.

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania invites you to the joint exhibition “The Flowers of Blue Deeps” featuring the paintings of Danguolė Raudonikienė (b. 1937) and composer Dalia Raudonikytė With (1970–2018).

After the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania opened its doors for visitors, we were asked a great many of questions regarding service provision. We have drawn a list of most frequently asked questions, which may give answers to your concerns. If you do not find answers here, please go to the dialogue section on the Library’s website or write at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Dear visitors! Please be informed that from the 1^st of June National Library’s opening hours will be as usual.

The Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania guarantees compliance with all the requirements for safety and disinfection of the public premises set by the Government and, therefore, its traditional physical services are provided with restrictions that apply until 31^st May. We expect awareness and responsibility from the part of the visitors.

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.