Alja Vute Kosednar, Ksenja Grešak and Andreja Vovk Iskrić from the Ljubljana City Library travelled to Lithuania for five days in October 2023 as part of the Erasmus+ mobility programme. The purpose of the working visit was to learn about the functioning of Lithuanian public libraries, with a focus on events for adults. Our host was the Grigorius Kanovičius Public Library in Jonava. 

The Lithuanian library system consists of the National Library, the Library for the Blind, 5 regional libraries and 1,267 public libraries. The system also includes libraries of museums and other cultural institutions (18), specialised libraries (31), libraries of scientific institutions (5), libraries of higher education institutions (41) and libraries of educational institutions (1 180).

During the working visit, we visited 8 cities or municipalities in Lithuania (Jonava, Vilnius, Kaunas, Lentvaris, Trakai) and 7 public  libraries (Jonava  Grigorijus Kanovičius  Public Library, Rimkai Library, Schweicerija, Kaunas  Vincas  Kudirkos Public Library, , Naujosios  Vilnia Library, Trakai Public  Library of  Children's Literature, Lentvaris  City Library) and regional (Vilnius  apskrities Adomas  Mickevičius Public Library) and the National Library (Lithuanian  National Library Martynas  Mažvydas) . The visited libraries differ in their size, the area they cover, usercharacteristics and the activities they carry out, but they have some commonalities in the area of ensuring the most democratic access to libraries and library collections for all citizens:

• Membership is free, many of them charge no or only a small late fee. 
• In Lithuania, there is a single library card that gives members access to the collections of all public libraries in  the country.. 
• If the user's library does not have the desired material, members can order it free of charge from a national or regional library. 
• Libraries are actively involved inthe local community and regularly cooperate with cultural and other organisations.
• Libraries act as a third space in the local community with their facilities and user-orientation .
• Libraries are successful in raising funds for European and other projects.

Section at the Adomas Mickevicius regional Library 

We were particularly interested in how libraries fulfil their role as providers of non-formal adult education. Education plays a key role in achieving many social and economic goals. Lifelong learning and education areamong thecore tasks of a library and are also a response to a modern, rapidly changing society. 

Lithuanian public libraries are very aware of the needs of their local communities and offer a diverse and varied range of events and activities alongside their collections. In addition to activities promoting reading culture and creativity, such as reading clubs, book presentations,literary evenings and talks with authors, exhibitions of local artists and creative workshops, they also emphasise digital and information literacy, sustainability, bibliotherapy and openness to different user groups. 

Left: Event space at the Vincas Kudirkos Public Library. Right:  Poster with an interactive game to get to know the city in the Lentvaris City Library. Bellow: Creativity workshop at the Grigorijus Kanovičius Public Library.

Green or sustainable library

An important aspect that we have observed in Lithuanian public libraries is sustainability. Libraries strive for sustainability within the institution (e.g. switching off lights, recycling waste, discontinuing traditional mail at the expense of e-mail, exchanging items between staff, etc.) and in education and events for users, such as:

• Seasonal swap meet (Adam Mickevicius Library),
• Clothing swap (Jonava Library, Adam Mickkevicius Library),
• Sustainability workshops: Creative workshops with recyclable materials, workshops on repairing small appliances, 
• lectures on sustainable behaviour, 
• a seed and plant exchange,
• the sale of depreciated library materials.

Accessibility for all

Adaptation of library facilities and services for people with various disabilities:

• user information is available in easy-to-read, sign language,
• social stories and sensory maps,
• Multi-sensory room, sensory tent and other sensory aids,
• devices for converting printed text into audio or braille,
• ELVIS Virtual Library (a service of the Lithuanian Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired),
• book vending machines and
• disabled access.

Braille printer at Rimkai Library

Right: Book vending machine at the Adomas Mickevicius regional Library Left: Wheelchair lift at Vincas Kudirkos Public Library

Libraries in Lithuania are designed to meet the needs of Lithuania's ethnically and culturally diverse society. Library materials are available in Lithuanian, English, Russian and (especially in the last two years) Ukrainian, sometimes also in Polish, German, etc. For refugees from Ukraine, free Lithuanian language courses and events are organised in and outside the libraries (excursions), safe meeting places, preservation of national identity (celebration of Ukrainian holidays, national costumes, customs), even help in finding a job and integration into Lithuanian society (in Jonava in cooperation with the Social Work Centre). Other minority user groups are also catered for (e.g. activities for Roma families, events in foreign languages, staff who speak the language of the local population: Polish, Russian, etc.).

Older users like to join the various clubs that meet regularly on the library premises. They have common interests (reading, crafts, outings, homework, etc.) and a desire to socialise. 

Bibliotherapy

• Logotherapy Club - Reading and discussion of the works of Viktor Frankl
• Island of openness - bibliotherapy/art therapy in an online environment 
• The Library of Emotions is the result of a European project in which 4 public libraries from 4 European cities (Anderlecht, Lodz, Kaunas, Kranj) have joined forces to create a collection of fiction for all target groups of users. The book titles are grouped together in one place and labeled with recognisable symbols for each emotion, making the selection of materials easier and faster for the user. The aim of the project is to promote reading and find new ways of social integration through culture. 

The Library of emotions project at the Vincas Kudirkos Public Library 

Digital and information literacy

Public libraries in Lithuania play an important role in the digital literacy of older people, as the 2019 national library survey shows. For example, the Grigorijus Kaunovič Library in Jonava organised 194 digital literacy workshops for older users in 2022. The other libraries we visited also regularly offer workshops on information literacy, safe use of the internet, use of mobile devices and mobile apps, and safe use of online services. In cooperation with the Lithuanian Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired, they also organise courses on accessing the ELVIS portal, which contains a collection of audio books. 

Individual counselling and support from library staff is also available at any time. The National Library plays an important role in digital literacy. It offers training for librarians on digital literacy for adults and a range of relevant literature that can help librarians to run workshops. The importance of libraries in digital education is also recognised by the government, which includes publiclibraries as providers in digital literacy projects. 

Computer Corner. Left:  Vincas Kudirkos Public Library, right: Naujosios Vilnia Library and Grigorijus Kanovičius Public Library. 

Promoting reading culture and literacy

The promotion of reading skills in libraries is carried out by the national project Knygu startas (Starting with a book), led by the National Library and funded by the Ministry of Health. 

During our visit, we also learnt about the project Innovative solutions for promoting reading in Lithuanian libraries to create social relationships between children and young people and the environment. This is a project developed by the libraries of Panevėžys, Klaipėda and Kaunas. The project has developed a virtual game Draugoteka for children and young people, which complements the collection of selected fiction books for young people.. The game encourages reading books and getting to know the book characters, as the children need to know the content of the books in order to progress in the game. Through the content of the books, young people learn to solve problems and the game also enables them to talk to each other about social and personal problems. 

Public libraries also pay a great deal of attention to promoting reading literacy among adults and the elderly. The Book of the Year is a project run by the Ministry of Culture, the national television station and the National Library. The project has been running in Lithuania since 2005 and aims to inspire library users of all ages to read contemporary Lithuanian literature and improve the reading culture of the population. 

Left: The Grigory Kanovičius public Library's meeting room  Right: Crime Fiction Exhibition at the Vincas Kudirkos Public Library

Left: Literary Apothecary at the Department of Austrian and Swiss Literature, Adam Mickievičius Regional Library Right: Library treasures at the Vincas Kudirkos Public Library

Summer with Books is also a national project organised by the Association of Regional Public Libraries, the Association of Public Libraries and the Ministry of Culture in Lithuania. The aim of the project is to stimulate public interest in reading and literature. As part of the project, libraries invite people of all ages to read five books of their choice during the summer (1 June to 31 August), based on specific themes. The project also includes a prize competition for the most books read (reading challange).

The project will continue in 2024 with a new Year with a Book project. 

Libraries also promote literacy through literary competitions and literary prizes. For example, the Grigorijus Kanovičius Public Library awards an annual literary prize named after a famous Lithuanian author whose name the library bears. 

We were not only positively surprised by the many organised activities, but also by the comfort, functionality and equipment of the rooms in the libraries we visited. In addition to the extensive IT equipment (3D printing, heat press, VR glasses, etc.), we had a feeling in all the libraries we visited that the library was an extension of the home, a second living room, so to speak. The furnishings and furniture are well thought out, warm and inviting. In most of the libraries we visited users can borrow board games or use them in the library. We also visited the multi-sensory room, which is primarily intended for children with autism spectrum disorders, but it turned out that it is also frequently used by other library users. 

Reading Corner and Multisensory Room at Naujosios Vilnia Library

Makerspaces and other spaces for developing creativity

The National Library has the most dedicated space and equipment for users' creative projects, where members can try their hand at creating in different media:

• Sound
• Video content
• Photo
• 3D models and VR
• Programming
• TV studio
• Recording studio
• Music Laboratory

Members can carry out projects on their own or with the help of a trained technical team.  

Left: Recording studio at Lithuanian  National Library Martynas  Mažvyda Right: Makerspace in the Trakai Public  Library of  Children's Literature, Lentvaris  City Library

Lithuanian libraries impressed us with their customer service and pleasant facilities. The libraries are very well integrated into the local area and have a continuous cooperation with the local community and other cultural actors in their environment. The working visit enriched and inspired us to design new programmes and activities for adult readers. 

Written and photographed by Alja Vute Kosednar, Ksenja Grešak and Andreja Vovk Iskrić

Ksenja Grešak is a librarian working at the Ljubljana City Library. She runs a reading group and events with authors for adult readers.

Andreja Vovk Iskrić is a librarian working at the Ljubljana City Library. She organises digital and information literacy workshops for adults and seniors.

Alja Vute Kosednar is a librarian working at the Ljubljana City Library in the Prežihov Voranc unit. She is the head of the events and educational activities for adults, and is also actively involved in various bibliopedagogical activities for children.