The two-year project “Conservation and Restoration of the Personal Book Collection of Matas Strašunas”, implemented by the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, was completed on 1 October. The aim of the project was to restore and conserve the personal print collection of M. Strashun (1640 items) over a period of two years and to open it to readers and researchers. Matas Strašunas (Mattityahu Strashun, 1817-1885), an eminent Jewish scholar, a renowned bibliophile, an avid collector, a patron and one of the most influential members of the Jewish community in Vilnius, bequeathed his unique collection of printed books to the Jewish community in an effort to preserve it and to establish the first public library in the Jewish Community. This unique documentary heritage, which survived the Second World War, was not accessible to researchers and readers due to its poor condition.

Dear visitors, 

please be reminded that the National Library is closed during public holidays and the Library’s opening hours are one hour shorter on a day before a public holiday.

Are your English skills „rusty“? Would you like to improve it? Come to the English Discussion Club, which takes place twice a month in the American Space (2^nd floor, room 205).

Thursday, November 7 at 6 p.m. we invite you to the lecture of Svetlana Panich, a scientist from Canada, „Discovery of Jewish Jesus. From Moses Mendelsohn to Marc Chagall“.  The lecture will take place at the Vilnius Jewish Public Library (Gedimino av.24). Entrance is in the courtyard of Vilnius Small State Theatre.

Monday evening, 4 November at 6 pm, our library invites you to the lecture by Dovid Katz „Cultures of the Litvaks“. The lecture will take place at the Vilnius Jewish Public Library (Gedimino av.24). Entrance is in the courtyard of Vilnius Small State Theatre.

The Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania is celebrating its 105th anniversary and is organizing an international conference titled “Memory Institutions and the State: Connecting History, Understanding the Present, and Building a Future”. This event, organized by the Statehood Centre of the National Library, aims to explore the dynamic relationship between memory institutions, the nation, and the state from various historical and other perspectives.

“From Leipzig, With Love”. This is an exhibition of artists living and working in Leipzig, Germany.

For those who want to improve their professional skills, make valuable contacts and get valuable advice for their first steps into new territories, the Lithuanian Music Business Association is organising two exclusive workshops in English on 11 and 22 October.

For those who want to improve their professional skills, make valuable contacts and get valuable advice for their first steps into new territories, the Lithuanian Music Business Association is organising two exclusive workshops in English on 11 and 22 October.

We invite you to a free creative writing workshop with US author Laima Vince at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania.

The National Library has acquired the personal library and archives of Dr. Vincas Bartusevičius (1939-2020), a prominent member of the Lithuanian-German community and long-time director of the German-Lithuanian Cultural Institute (LCI).

We invite you to a unique performance by American artists Ilene and Paul Kreshka – “Cowboy Days”, featuring authentic 19th century cowboy music with stories. The music performed was collected by John Avery Lomax and is preserved at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

– Does it look like I need a fork? No shadow darkens my conscience, my hands are clean as spring water.

Ragana eats the scrambled eggs voraciously with her hand. Meanwhile, Vladas brings Saulė some letters and a parcel box. Saulė shows no interest in the letters, but keeps the box and reads the postcard.

– “Don’t forget to call us. Warm wishes, Crater Constellation.”

Saulė opens the box and finds a tongue in it.

– Clever!

– Stupid.

– Who is short of words?

– We are short of the body!

“Tens of thousands of Lithuanians were driven from their homeland by the Communist terror. It was so terrible that Lithuanians left their home, their savings, and their farms they had inherited from their parents, everything they had, just to save their lives and the lives of their families,” writes the Lithuanian-American journalist and priest Juozas Prunskis in the introduction of his memoirs “We Fled the Terror,” published in Chicago in 1980.

Dear visitors, the National Library is closed on public holidays. On the last working day before the public holiday the library will close one hour earlier. 

The Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania is celebrating its 105th anniversary and is hosting an international conference MEMORY INSTITUTIONS AND THE STATE: Connecting History, Understanding the Present, and Building a Future on November 7-8^th, 2024. Hosted by the library’s Statehood Centre, this event aims to explore the dynamic relationship between memory institutions, the nation and its government through various historical and contemporary perspectives.

Please be informed that from 1^st of July to 23^th of August the National Library will switch to summer opening hours.