Lithuanian Public Libraries

Jurgis Kunčinas Public Library of Alytus (www.alytus.mvb.lt), one of the first municipal public library established after the Lithuania’s regain of independency, functions since 1993. The Library operates the Readers’ Service, Bibliography, Document Acquisition & Catalogue Filing, Children & Youth Literature Departments, Information Office of the Ministry of Justice and 3 branches.

Intensive and versatile cultural activities have long been the Library’s tradition. Besides the literary events such as meetings and book presentations, exhibitions of works of painters and photographers are organised here and the Ginger Eves national short poetry readings in memory of J. Kunčinas that are becoming a tradition. The said public events are organised in the White Crow Parlour hosted by the Library. The Library’s long tradition, i.e. the Children’s Book Festivals are organised on 2 April every year, the International Children’s Book Day. For several years already projects are actively implemented aimed not only at modernisation of information services, but at the reduction of social exclusion as well.

In early 2006, the main Library departments (excluding the Children’s & Youth Department) invited the visitors to the new premises that were reconstructed and adapted to the library services using the funds of the State Investment Programme. The city’s municipality has also allocated some funds for the new furniture and computer hardware update. Consequently, the Library’s premises have grown from 300 sq. m. to 1,400 sq. m. with four reading-rooms instead of one: Periodicals, Books, Internet & Reference, and Regional Studies. The Library has a cosy lobby, hall for events and conferences, computerised class for training, and spacious document repositories that provide new possibilities in meeting information and cultural needs of the city community.