Lithuanian Public Libraries

After the Zarasai branch of the Central State Bookshop was established in 1923, institution of the Library has started. Its germ was formed of the manor libraries left without owners, collection of the Akstinas cultural and educational society, books donated by Zarasai people and purchased for the funds allocated by the Ministry of Education. Fires destroyed almost everything collected in the Library at the end of World War II. The Library’s collection suffered the fire once again in 1950. The Library has changed its name and structure for several times.

In 1995, the Library was renamed into Zarasai District Municipality Public Library; it operates 22 branches.

Since 1996 to date, the Library is actively developing its project activities. Over 40 projects were drafted and received financing from the Open Society Fund Lithuania, Open Society Institute-Budapest, Baltic American Partnership Program, EU Phare 2000 Programme, Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania, Ministries of Education and Culture, M. Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, Information Centre of the European Commission Delegation to Lithuania, Save the Children Lithuania, district municipality and other organisations. Implementation of the projects enabled to radically improve and expand education and information services to citizens.

In 2000, the Library’s project Zarasai Public Library’s Services for Children and Community was selected by the Open Society Fund Lithuania and presented to the Open Society Institute-Budapest that organised an international call for applications for libraries of the Central and Eastern Europe.

In 2002, the Open Society Institute-Budapest certified Zarasai PL as a model public library for public libraries of the Central and Eastern European countries. The Library is organising events that already became a tradition: the Spring of Poetry festival where Annual Literary Award of Zarasai district is awarded; the Autumn of Prose literary event; and the Summer Readings programme motivating children to read. The Library hosts the Zuikis Puikis puppet theatre.
Library collection: The collection of Zarasai Public Library is of the general nature. The Library and its branches collect reference and educational literature, educational computer programmes, electronic publications, educational games for children, publications for children and teenagers, fiction for adults, audio documents, film videos and DVDs.

In early 2005, the document stock of the Library and its branches amounted to 317 thousands of various publications. The regional studies documents constitute an important and unique part of the stock: over 4.1 thousand items of books, cards, photos, slides, booklets, newspapers, magazines, posters, manuscripts, etc. The material about fellow-countrymen A. Vienažindys, P. Širvys, F. Kirša, J. Gruodis, etc. is colleted. The Library readers may take publications home, read at the reading-room, use the electronic catalogue, the Internet, databases, audio and video collections, and receive specialised information about the European Union. The Library has the Electronic Declaration System (EDS) installed, enabling the users to produce tax return electronically.