Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania

Overview

The Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos nacionalinė Martyno Mažvydo biblioteka) is Lithuania's national cultural institution for collecting, organising, and preserving the country's written cultural heritage. Located on Gedimino pr. 51 in Vilnius, it also performs the function of the Parliamentary Library for the Seimas (parliament) of Lithuania.

History and Founding

The library was founded on December 20, 1919, when the Provisional Government of Lithuania issued a decree establishing the Central State Bookstore in Kaunas, the temporary capital of Lithuania. An earlier initiative in January 1919 in Vilnius was suspended after the Polish occupation of the city in April 1919. The library operated in Kaunas until 1963, when it relocated to Vilnius. In 1988 the library was renamed in honor of Martynas Mažvydas, the author of the first published book in the Lithuanian language, and in 1989 it was granted the official status of National Library. A major reconstruction of the main building took place from 2008 to 2016. In 2022 the Vilnius Jewish Public Library was incorporated as a separate unit.

Collections and Holdings

The library holds nearly 7 million items, including books, journals, manuscripts, newspapers, audiovisual materials, maps, and rare books. Specialized reading rooms include the Rare Books and Manuscripts Reading Room, Humanities Reading Room, Social Sciences Reading Room, Media Reading Room, and others. Research centers include the Judaica Research Centre, Adolfas Damušis Centre for Democratic Studies, and the Statehood Centre. The library has the national print depository function, receiving compulsory copies from all Lithuanian publishers.

Journalism and Media Collections

The library's Media Reading Room and press collections include historical Lithuanian periodicals, newspapers, and broadcast media materials. The library has undertaken digitization projects to preserve and make accessible the Lithuanian press heritage.

Access and Usage

The library is freely open to all users. It offers a professional recording studio, cinema hall, music and co-working spaces, a TV studio, and a children's centre. The library hosts international conferences, exhibitions, and cultural events. It is a member of major international library associations including IFLA and the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL).