National Library of Latvia2010

THE NATIONAL THE NATIONAL LIBRARY LIBRARY OF LATVIAOF LATVIA

The National Library of Latvia

Founded in 1919

The mission of the National Library of Latvia is to promote the development of an educated, informed individual and the intellectual and spiritual growth of the society by developing collections of information resources, ensuring high quality access to them and by coordinating the national network of libraries

The National Library of Latvia is located in 7 buildings. Six of them are in Rigaand there is a repository 30 km from Riga in Silakrogs

Göteborg Book Fair September 25 - 28, 2008

NLL main indicators

• NLL collection 4078877• Number of users 104171• Number of registered users 43070• Numbers of visits 717859• Number of handouts 1125944• Average age of visitors 27 years• 80% of readers use Library for study and research• Number of employees 339 including 184 librarians

The Collection of the NLL

Historically the Collection has been formed from the 17th to the 20th century, including both printed works and manuscripts from the 15th century

Library of Royal [Swedish] Liceum in Riga (established in 1675)

Publications in Latvian, German, English, French, Russian, Polish, Swedish etc., total in 60 languages

Values of the Collection

Collection in total: 4078877 units• National editions – the core of the Collection

(1586- )• Heritage of the Baltic German materials• Editions of Russian emigration (1917- )• Soviet heritage – the source for soviet studies• Special collections of the NLL (Letonica,

maps, printed music, graphic productions etc.)

Books Published in Latvia 2007

Books - Original publications - 66 % - Translations - 34%

Books according languages- In Latvian - 85 %- In other languages - 13 %

Dictionaries - 2%

Other publications in Latvia 2007

Journals, Serials- In Latvian - 69%- In other languages - 31 %

Newspapers- In Latvian - 74 %- In other languages - 26 %

The Training Center

Since the year 2007 the Training Center of the NLL functions as a Regional training center for the public libraries development project, that is being financed from Latvian state and the foundation of Bill & Melinda Gates’s

Courses– Improvement of skills of information technology

and internet usage– Innovative activity in libraries– Effective presentation methods

attended by 17 groups of librarians

Register of the Scientific Institutions

The entry of the NLL into the Register of Scientific Institutions of the Ministry of Education and Science

NLL – member of international organizations

• UNESCO• IFLA• International Association of

Music libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML)

• International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA)

• ISBN• ISMN• ISSN• IGeLU• European Library

Automation Group (ELAG)• CENL• CDNL• CERL

• LIBER• School Library Association (SLA)• European Commission for

Preservation and Access (ECPA)• European Bureau of Library,

Information and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA)

• Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, Inc.(AABS)

• Bibliotheca Baltica• The Institute of Conservation

(Icon) • The Institute of Paper

Conservation (IPC)• The British association of paper

Historians• International Internet Preservation

Association (IIPA)

Bilateral Cooperation Agreements

1. National Libraries of Estonia and Lithuania2. National Library of the Czech Republic3. National Library of Sweden4. Slovak National Library5. National Library of Poland6. National Library of Belarus7. National Library of Russia8. State Library of Russia9. Library for Foreign Literature (Russia)10. National Library of Karelia (Russia)11. The Vernadsky National Library of Ukraina12. National Parliamentary Library of Georgia13. Library Association of Georgia14. National Library of Azerbaijan

3 general target groups

• Services rendered to the state – the legal deposit, national bibliography, official press and library statistics, etc.

• To other l ibraries – advisory, coordination, excellence / competence, research and professional information centre (1/ 3 of NLL employees)

• Directly to general populat ion / public – in accordance with the international practice, predominantly social sciences and humanities.

The target audience of NLL

• Children and adolescents, especially young adults

• Teachers• Students• Researchers and experts• Employees of culture

and art sectors• Pensioners• Disabled people

• Entrepreneurs• Communications

representatives• Politicians• Foreign nationals• Everybody wishing to

expand their knowledge• Readers 2.0 • Librarians• Publishers

Library – for students and school children

• A place to receive alternative, additional information on study subjects, a place to work on projects, school homeworks

• A place to find out something new and exciting

• A place to form more extensive and deep knowledge of Latvian history, economy and culture

• A place to meet like-minded people (discussion clubs, hobbies, etc.)

• A place to develop the abilities to work with information


Library – for researchers

• Collections of branch literature, electronic resources

• Assistance of a knowledgeable branch librarian

• Accessibility of the new, state-of-the-art technologies

• Comfortable, well-equipped pace to work

• Individual work spaces, possibility to book the literature for the period of working on the research project

Library – for entrepreneurs

• Real time services• Unbiased, credible

information (the offer of alternative, safe sources of information)

• Flexible and fast delivery of information

• High quality, professional assistance provided by the information specialists

Library – for everybody

• A place to find out how to obtain the information needed in everyday life

• A place to improve and develop one’s interests

• A place to learn new skills and professions

• A place to attend culture events, discussions, interest clubs, training sessions

3 main components

New building – The Castle of LightCountry wide lib’s network – The LightnetDigital library – The Lighthouse

The Light Net

Regional (public) libraries

Academic & special libraries

Information systems of the

public and private sector

National Library

Public libraries in parishes

School libraries

National Digital Library LETONICA – new, interactive opportunities

The National Digital Library of Latvia LETONICA formed in 2006 ensures the wider access to the values of national heritage

Partners: • Memory institutions• Cooperation with education

institutions on content development (Ministry of Education, University of Latvia, art schools, a.o.)

• The dawn of PPP (Microsoft, Tilde, Exigen)

3 Faces of the National Library of Latvia

• Real, physical library with the infrastructure of the building (reading rooms, halls, exhibitions, etc.) and ICT

• Digital library (collection of electronic resources and access point)

• Virtual library (distance services – references, selection of information resources, ordering and receiving / document delivery or print on demand)

The new role of the library

• Library – a creative laboratory where information turns into knowledge

• Library – a collection of undiscovered treasures (to be aware of and to use own values / collections, to be able to promote them)

• Library – a “stage” for production of performances (a site where interesting events are held, a meeting point)


The new building of the National Library of Latvia Castle of Light

History of the Castle of LightHistory of the Castle of Light

• The necessity to build the new National Library in Latvia has been recognised since 1928

• 1988 – Government passes the resolution to design the new building of the National Library

• 1989 – architect Gunārs Birkerts was accepted as a designer of the new Library

• 1995 – Hill International, USA was selected to lead the Project and Construction management

• November 17, 1999 – UNESCO General Conference issues a Resolution to support the National Library project Castle of Light

• 2000 – the design of the Castle of Light receives American Architecture Award

• July 13, 2002 – the Saeima (Parlament) adopts the law on the implementation of the National Library project (revised 08.05.2003.)

• November 2007 – design development is completed

• May 15, 2008 – signing of the National Library of Latvia construction agreement

History of the Castle of LightHistory of the Castle of Light

• June 20, 2008 ceremony of commencement on construction of the Castle of Light

• August 2010 installation of first glass panels


May 15, 2008 signing of the National Library of Latvia construction agreement


June 20, 2008 ceremony of commencement on construction of the Castle of Light

Project management

The National Library project The Castle of Light next to Riga Concert Hall, Museum of Contemporary Art and Liepaja Concert Hall Giant Amber represent the government’s largest investment projects in the area of culture in Latvia.

Planning, design and construction is realised by the state agency The New Three Brothers www.j3b.gov.lv

The comissionary of the project The Castle of Light is the Ministry of Culture

The Govenment has assigned the Supervisory Institution of the Library project development

http://www.j3b.gov.lv/

Architect Gunārs Birkerts

Born in Latvia, educated in Germany, lives in the United States

Among his most celebrated works are: – the Houston Contemporary Arts Museum– the IBM Corporate Computer Centre in NY – the Corning Museum of Glass – the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki– The Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis– the University of Michigan Law library

His projects have won 58 major awards around the world


University of Michigan Law School Addition

Ohio State University Library


The City of San José &The City of San José & San José State UniversitySan José State University


Riga at night and the new National Library of Latvia

The IDEA

THE CRYSTAL MOUNTAINIn Latvian folklore the crystal mountain symbolizes the heights of achievement - something not easily attainable but full of rewards for those who make the commitment to reach its peak

The IDEA

THE CASTLE OF LIGHTLatvian literature and folklore also speaks of the 'castle of light' as a metaphor for wisdom that has been lost, but will someday rise again from the depths of the Daugava River after the Latvian people have overcome the intellectual darkness of war, invasion and occupation

The IDEA

Birkerts has incorporated both of these evocative Latvian symbols in the design of the new Latvian National Library building

Latvia's new National Library building designed by Gunārs Birkerts is both a striking architectural symbol for Latvia and a state-of-the-art, multi-functional structure that meets the needs of a modern information based society

Located on the left bank of the legendary Daugava River, its glassy slopes will mirror the spires that shape the distinctive silhouette of Riga's elegant Old Town

The layout of the territory

1- The Latvian National Library2- Technical service rooms3- Underground parking4- The reconstruction of Mūkusalas iela

The total space of the new NLL building – 40,455 m2

The construction space – 8,590 m2

The height - 68 m

The number of floors - 13 (including the basement)

The cubage of the building – 263,000 m3

THE MEZZANINE PLAN

THE 5TH FLOOR PLAN

The construction of the building is in concrete carcass. The glass facade consists of factory made glass panels in frames that are connected with articulate braces over a zincified steel carcass.

Building StandardsBuilding Standards

1. Reader station size: 2.5 to 3 square meters2. 300 – 400 volumes per square meter in reading

rooms 3. 600 – 900 volumes per square meter in compact

shelving 4. Space assignment per employee: 5 – 8 square meters5. Acoustic barrier: 43-45dB.6. Lighting level on reader station table top: 500 lux.7. Temperature level in reading rooms: 21-24 C; in stack

storage area: 18C.8. Humidity level in reading room: 55-65%; in stack

storage area: 45-55%.9. Air exchange: 2 volumes per hour.

Support to the Project

The significance of the project lasting almost a century was confirmed by high-level international recognition when almost all 170 member states during the UNESCO General Conference in 1999 adopted a resolution, calling international community to ensure all possible support

As a result UNESCO established International Commission of Experts in 2000. September 8, 2000 the first meeting of Experts took place in Riga, at the Ministry of Culture

Friends and supporters

A library is not simply a building, but a repository of knowledge where information can be stored, protected and shared. The building that houses a library is both a structure and a symbol of the human knowledge it contains and reveres.

Documents

National Library of Latvia2010