Lithuanian Public Libraries

The Library was established in 1939, when Germany annexed Klaipėda region. Cultural institutions, including the libraries, were evacuated then. Pagėgiai State Public Library was transferred to Plungė. It was the only state public library in Klaipėda region. The most of the Library’s stock consisted of the religious literature though it had some fiction as well. At the beginning of the Soviet occupation and during the German occupation later, the Library’s stock was revised and destroyed.

In 1943, the Library’s stock had 5,700 publications, while after a year only 768 books remained. In a post-war period, the Library became a district library. After the centralization in 1977, it became Plungė District Central Library. Since 1998, it was known as Plungė District Municipal Public Library. The printed stock of the Library constitutes 71,064 items. 128 periodicals are subscribed.

Some most valuable collections are stored and maintained: personal archive of the painter Juozas Bagdonas; Lithuanian partisans in the post-war period in Plundė district; the Jews of Plungė; personal archive of the regional researcher J. Čekavičiūtė; personal archive of J. Gadeikytė, the enlightened person of Samogitija and member of Saulutė fellowship; and the old book collection. Joint activities of the Library and NGOs established under the Library have long traditions. Saulutė Fellowship publishes Žemaičių saulutė cultural weekly. Thanks to the joint projects of the Fellowship and the Library, memory of the writer Šatrijos Ragana is commemorated in her native Keturakiai village (Plungė district). The international book conferences organized by S. Daukantas Bibliophile Club and the Library became a tradition. The annual festival of Vingiorykštė Literary Club and meetings of Terra Incognita Tourist Club have also found their audience.