Books from the library of Sigismundus Augustus
The books from the library of Sigismundus Augustus (1520 -1572), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, bequeathed to Vilnius Jesuit College. From the famous library of the King, amounting to 4000-5000 volumes, only 14 books are preserved at the Library of the University of Vilnius.
Collection of the Bishop Valerianus Protasevicius
After his death in 1579, Valerianus Protasevicius (1504-1579), Bishop of Vilnius and founder of the University, left several thousand books to the University in his will.
Collection of the Bishop Eustachy Wołłowicz
Bishop of Vilnius and bibliophile Eustachy Wołłowicz (1572-1630) has collected a library of valuable books, which was donated to the library of the Vilnius Jesuit Academy (Vilnius University).
Bibliotheca Sapiehana
Bibliotheca Sapiehana - the name given to the collection of Leo Sapieha (1557-1633), Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and his three sons. Casimirus Leo Sapieha (1609-1656), who inherited the library, bequeathed ca. 3,000 of the books to the Vilnius Academy Library in 1655. The books were bound by Vilnius bookbinders. At the present time, approximately 250 of the books are in safekeeping at the Vilnius University Library.
Library of the Imperial University
After the abolition of the Society of Jesus in 1773, the University changed its focus. In 1780 the Parliament released the Law that all printing houses of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania must give a copy of every published book to the University library. Books were also donated by Rectors, professors, the Kings, the noblemen, and many others. In 1803 the Library became the part of the Imperial University. In 1804, Gottfried Ernest Groddeck (1762-1825) was appointed Head of the Library. On his initiative, the University Library became accessible to the general public of Vilnius. Unlike other libraries of the Russian Empire of that time, the Library of Vilnius University was at the same level as those of the most progressive European libraries.
Vilnius Public Library
The closing of the University of Vilnius in 1832 was one of the saddest pages in the history of the Library: the larger part of the Library's collection was taken away from Vilnius and distributed amongst various academic institutions of tsarist Russia. In 1856, the Museum of Antiquities, with a Study Room for reading, was opened by the Archaeological Commission. In 1865, the Museum of Antiquities and the Study Room were reorganised into the Vilnius Public Library and Museum.
The library of the University of Stephanus Bathoreus
The old University Library was revived in 1919 after the re-establishment of the University of Vilnius. Though ravaged, the collection of the Library remained quite rich. At the time it was the largest Lithuanian Library. The library grew extensively in the period from 1919 (450 000 volumes) to 1939 (600 000 volumes).
Vilnius University Library in the Soviet period
In the period of 1945-1995, the following events deserve to be mentioned: the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Library (1570-1970) and the University (1579-1979), the construction of two book depositories, the opening of new units (the Restoration Unit in 1968 and the Graphics Room in 1969), and the collections of the new and donated.
Retrieval of the old collections
In 1948-1964, the Library was run by Levas Vladimirovas (1912-1998) who was very active in making contacts with different libraries. Thus Library managed to regain about 13 thousand volumes of valuable books that had been taken away from the Library during different periods. Levas Vladimirovas later became Director of the Dag Hammarskjöld Library of the United Nations in New York (1964-1970). Thanks to him, since 1965 the Library of Vilnius University has been a depository for the documents and reference materials of the United Nations and its branches (UNESCO, the World Health Organisation, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the International Labour Organisation, the International Monetary Fund, the Industrial Development Organisation, and the International Court of Justice).
Unique books in the Library
In the Soviet period the Library acquired (from the Russian libraries) several valuable books that are significant to the Lithuanian history and culture. Among them there were such monuments of the Lithuanian written language as: Katechismusa Prasty Szadei… by Martinus Mosvidius (1547), Catechism by Mikalojus Daukša (translated from the Spanish Jesuit theologist Jacobo Ledesma, 1595) – the first book in Lithuanian published in Vilnius, also The Apostle by the famous Francysk Skoryna – the second book published in Vilnius (1525). The Library managed to acquire from Moscow the rare Dictionary of three languages (Polish-Latin-Lithuanian) by Constantinus Syrvidus published in 1642 – the only one copy in Lithuania.
The Unit of Rare Publications
The Library of Vilnius University has one of the most valuable collections of rare publications in all of Lithuania and Europe. The largest collection of incunabula (books published before 1501) in Lithuania consists of 313 units, including the oldest book held in Lithuania - the encyclopaedic treatise Opus de universo (On the Universe) by Rabanus Maurus, published in Strasbourg in 1467. The University Library has 1650 paleotypes, i.e. publications of the early 16th century. Books by famous European publishers such as Aldines, Elzevirs, Plantins, and Etiennees make up a separate collection of old publications. The Unit of Rare Publications has accumulated a rich collection of Lithuanian publications. The largest is the 18th century collection consisting of 55 thousand volumes, including the famous Encyclopaedia of Science and Art by Denis Diderot.
Cartographic collection
The extremely rich and interesting cartographic collection comprises over 1,000 old atlases and 10,000 old maps. Professor Joachim Lelewel’s collection of atlases and maps formed the basis for the cartographic collection. It has 13 editions of Geographia by Claudius Ptolemaeus. The oldest of them was published in Rome in 1490. The same collection includes the atlas of the largest European towns Civitates orbis terrarium by the cartographer Georg Braun, where the first map of Vilnius can be found. The cartographer Gerardus Mercator was the first to represent Lithuania on a separate map, thus introducing the lands of Lithuania to Western Europe. The collection includes atlases of famous cartographers of the 17th century, such as Jodok Hondius, Johann Jansonius and others. There is also a map of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania of the late 17th century, published by Nicolaus Christophorus Radivillus Orphanus (the Orphan), which presents the most exact cartographic view of Lithuania of the time.)
Treasures of the Vilnius University Library
Ever since the times of Jesuit University the treasures of Library were displayed to the honorary guests. Library was visited by many Kings, Tsars, or the important Soviet leader. Traditionally, the richly decorated rooms of the Library and its valuable collections are presented to foreign guests today.
