Vilnius University Library

Sukurta: 17 September 2013

mkic 3 Universiteto, LT-01513 Vilnius

Director General – Irena Krivienė
Tel. 268 71 02, fax 268 71 04
E-mail

Director for Information, Research and Cultural Activities – Dr. Marija Prokopčik
Tel. 268 71 01, fax 268 71 04
E-mail

Director for Innovation and Infrastructure Development – Dr. Jūratė Kuprienė
Tel. 219 50 90, fax 219 50 80
E-mail
http://www.mb.vu.lt/

The Library of Vilnius University is the oldest institutional library in Lithuania and one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. It dates back to 1570 when the Jesuit College and the Library were founded. The College of Vilnius was transformed into a university in 1579, and its Library became the University Library.

The Library collection contains 5 433 million items. There are 298 887 manuscripts and documents in various languages dating from the 13th century up to the present.
The Library is also famous for its collection of rare publications, which consists of 166 294 ancient and rare volumes of the 15th–20th centuries.

A collection of 92 723 original graphic prints is the oldest collection of this kind in Lithuania. It includes collections of old (17th–beginning of the 20th century, about 10 000 items) and modern graphic prints.

Since 1965, the Library has been a depository of the United Nations. We receive publications of the General Assembly of the UN and other subdivisions of this organization: UNESCO, WHO, IAEA, FAO, ILO, UNIDO, IMF and ICJ which can be found in the Reading Room of the UN Depository Library named after Prof. Levas Vladimirovas, the former Director of VU Library and Director of UN Dag Hammarskjöld Library.

The Library is a member of three international organizations: Bibliotheca Baltica, Consortium of European Research Library (CERL), and Association of European Research Libraries (LIBER), as well as Academic Libraries Association of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Research Library Consortium and Confederation of Open Access Repositories(COAR).

In 1998, the Library started digitization of rare and unique documents from its stacks. Scholars, researchers and other people concerned can study manuscript court books of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, collection of parchments via the internet cartography collection (16th–20th c.) of the priest V. Mincevičius, portraits of Radziwill family produced by the portrait engraver Herszek Leibowicz, archives of Radziwill and Sapiega families, collection of autographs of various outstanding persons, kings and noblemen as well as the first Lithuanian book Katekizmas written by Martynas Mažvydas. The Library participates in the international project of the digitized manuscript cultural heritage Manuscriptorium. The Library is a member of the international project World Digital Library since 2009. In 2010–2012, the Library participated in two national digitization projects Development of Virtual Electronic Heritage System (VEPS) and Virtual Historical Lithuania: Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Since 2011 the Library is a partner in Digital Curator Vocational Education Europe (DigCurV) project, which is a multilateral network funded under the European Commission’s Leonardo da Vinci programme. Since2012, the Library leads the scientific research project Digitization of GDL Court Books, Held in Vilnius University Library, and Creation of Script Data Base funded by the Research Council of Lithuania.
The library is involved in an exchange of publications with 114 foreign libraries and academic institutions in various countries.

The Library provides services to around 27 779 readers, who can search for books received after January 1993 only in the online catalogue. They can reach it via the internet katalogas.mb.vu.lt. Requests for books can be made by Vilnius University students and the academic staff via the internet from any computerized work space.
In 2012, the Library users could search for information in 53 subscribed databases (e.g. Web of Science, Science Direct, Springer LINK, Wiley Online Library, JSTOR, Emerald Management electronic journals, EBSCO Publishing, IEEE/IET electronic library, Passport, AIP electronic journals, APS electronic journals, Sage Publications: Sage Journals Online, Annual Reviews etc.).

Users of Vilnius University Library can develop their information literacy skills using Information Literacy Website (http://www.ir.mb.vu.lt) since 2009. The Library continues 8-hour course on the development of information literacy skills for the first year students of the Faculty of Philosophy. This course is integrated into the curriculum.
Vilnius University Library offers excellent infrastructure for work and studies. It has 30 reading rooms with books in various fields of science. There are more than 205 thousand publications shelved in the open stacks.
The reading rooms have 963 work and study spaces, 165 of which are equipped with computers. The Library offers three group work rooms available for readers to book for seminars and discussions. Wireless network and Eduroam are freely available in the Library. On working days the Library is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the examination period the Library is open on Sundays as well. Most of the reading rooms are situated in the historic ensemble of Vilnius University, thus readers of the Library have an opportunity to work in authentic historic environment and at the same time enjoy spectacular views of the Old Town. Spaces of Vilnius University Library have been created with regard to the wishes of readers – those who need quiet place can work in a reading room, those willing to discuss certain issues with colleagues can go to a place designated for informal communication and equipped with settees and tea-tables, those who get hungry can go to the Recreation Room, where readers can make a cup of tea or coffee and warm up their food in the microwave and those who are afraid of cold can wrap themselves up in a warm blanket provided by the Library.

In 2012, the publishing activities of the Library were developed in the following directions: research of printed heritage, personal bibliographic indices, and information publications about the Library.

In the framework of commemoration of 100th anniversary of the former Library Director prof. Levas Vladimirovas, the Library in cooperation with the Faculty of Communication organized international conference, exhibition of books returned to the Library due to his efforts, and produced a catalogue Vetera Reducta: the Past Recovered. Members of the Library staff were instrumental in preparation of 10 books and published 60 articles in various editions.

Image development is an important part of the activity of each institution. The Library pays special attention to the formation and strengthening of internal and external communication, quick and comfortable provision of information to its clients. In pursuance of this aim the main means are Library 2.0 tools and social networking. The Library organized and promoted international seminars, exhibitions, its staff had a possibility to attend thematic seminars on the most relevant topics.

In 2012, about 12 593 persons from 48 countries of the world visited the Library. They were provided with 888 guided tours in 6 languages.

Further integration of the libraries of social and humanitarian faculties located at the central premises of Vilnius University into the Central Library offered a possibility for creation of an open information space necessary for interdisciplinary studies. Number of integrated libraries was enhanced by the Reading room for Journalism and Media Studies opened in February.
In 2012, construction works of the new Library building – National Open Access Science Information and Communication Centre – have been finished and building was handed over to the University. The staff of the Library is preparing to settle in. The staff is engaged in the organization of spaces for readers and staff, building of IT infrastructure, removal and reorganization of stacks. The new building of Vilnius University Library will be opened at the beginning of 2013.

MAIN PUBLICATIONS

Articles

J. Kuprienė. Application of information organizational principles in an electronic environment: a model for digital library // Libraries in the digital age (LIDA) proceedings. Vol. 12 [elektroninis išteklius]. Zadar : University of Zadar, 2012, p. [1-5].

T. Timčenko, M. Prokopčik. Ocifrovka kollekcii knig sudnych del biblioteki Vilniusskogo universiteta: vyzovy i rešenija // Informacionnye technologii i pismennoje nasledije : materialy 4-oj meždunarodnoj konferencii, Petrozavodsk, 3-8 sentiabria 2012 goda. Petrozavodsk : Petrozavodskij gosudarstvennyj universitet, 2012, p. 260-263.

T. Čelkis, V. Karpova. Lietuvos Didžiajai Kunigaikštystei priklausiusių žemių "veidrodžiai": du neskelbti XVII a. pirmos pusės žemėvaldos žemėlapiai // Istorija / Vilniaus pedagoginis universitetas. Vilnius : VPU leidykla. 2012, t. 86, p. 53-65.

N. Klingaitė-Dasevičienė. Vladislovo Vazos paveikslas XVII a. lotyniškose Žygimanto Liauksmino, Jono Rivockio ir Kazimiero Kojalavičiaus panegirikose // Lietuvos kultūros karališkasis dėmuo: įvaizdžiai, simboliai, reliktai = Royal component of Lithuanian culture: images, symbols, relicts : [straipsnių rinkinys / sudarytojos Jolita Liškevičienė, Sigita Maslauskaitė, Gabija Surdokaitė]. - Serija : Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis = Vilniaus dailės akademijos darbai. Dailė. T. 65-66. Vilnius : Vilniaus dailės akademijos leidykla, 2012, p. 231-241.

L. Karželienė, N. Šulgienė. Orientalisto Juozapo Kovalevskio dokumentinis palikimas Vilniaus universiteto bibliotekoje : rekonstrukcijos bandymas // Knygotyra / Vilniaus universitetas. Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla. 2012, t. 58, p. 47-60.

I. Liepaitė, N. Šulgienė. Vaclovo Biržiškos Aleksandryno ir kitų rankraščių likimas pasibaigus Antrajam pasauliniam karui // Knygotyra / Vilniaus universitetas. Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla. 2012, t. 58, p. 80-94.

R. Šalna. Mistras iš Lietuvos // Literatūriniai trečiadieniai = Srody literackie. Vilnius : Vilniaus universitetas, 2012. p. 73-84.

R. Šalna. Vienas iš paskutiniųjų jėzuitų - ryški ir spalvinga asmenybė // Literatūriniai trečiadieniai = Srody literackie. Vilnius : Vilniaus universitetas, 2012. p. 43-46.

R. Šalna. Įžangos žodis // Literatūriniai trečiadieniai = Srody literackie. Vilnius : Vilniaus universitetas, 2012. p. 5-6.

Ž. Petrauskienė. Bibliometric researchers - new service at Vilnius university library // ScieCom info. Lund : Lund University. 2012, vol. 8, no. 1, p. [1-3].

Materials of conferences

T. Timčenko, M. Prokopčik. Digitization of the court books collection of Grand Duchy of Lithuania: challenges and decisions // Nacionalnaja biblioteka kak fenomen kultury : materialy meždunarodnogo kongressa, Minsk, 5-7 sentiabria 2012 goda [Elektroninis išteklius (CD-ROM)]. Minsk : Nacionalnaja biblioteka Belarusi, 2012, [1-10 p.].

P. Želvienė, E. Kazlauskas, I. Tilvikaitė, D. Tuskenytė. Studentų patiriamo socialinio nerimo ir taikomų įveikos strategijų pokyčiai per vienerius metus // Tiltai / Klaipėdos universitetas. Klaipėda : Klaipėdos universiteto leidykla. 2012, nr. 3, p. 55-64.

Other Books

J. Palionis, S. Peciulkienė. Atsiminimų nuotrupos. Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 2012. 264 p.

B. Riauba, N. Vasiliauskaitė. Senojo Vilniaus universiteto matematikos istorija: Jėzuitų kolegija (1570-1579), Vilniaus universitetas (1579-1832). Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 2012. 256 p.

Translations

R. Šalna, L. Aškelovič, I. Fedorovič, N. Giniotienė, A. Dzisevič. Literatūriniai trečiadieniai = Srody literackie : [straipsnių rinkinys] / sudarytojai : Rimantas Šalna, Leokadija Aškelovič; redaktoriai : Nijolė Giniotienė, Rimantas Šalna, Irena Fedorovič; vertėjai : Irena Fedorovič, Leokadija Aškelovič, Alicija Dzisevič // Vilnius : Vilniaus universitetas, 2012.