THE MOBILE EXHIBITION OF RARE BOOKS

The very First Book in Lithuanian - "Katekizmas" (1547) by M. Mažvydas - is being stocked at the Vilnius University Library. It is the only copy in Lithuania. There is one more copy known in the world that is being kept at the Torun University Library. The Vilnius University Library and the Librarians Society of Lithuania have prepared the mobile exhibition of rare books, dedicating it to 450 years anniversary of the First Book in Lithuanian language. The exhibition has been prepared using the Rare Book Department collection (over 180,000 books from the 15th - 19th c.) of the Library.

The books in Lithuanian of the 19th century are being exhibited. That was the century when Lithuanian literary language took its shape, the ABC books in Lithuanian calendars and the first fiction in Lithuanian appeared. This exhibition is the unique opportunity for the people of Lithuania to become acquainted with the original publications of Lithuanian written language originators: Kristijonas Donelaitis, Simonas Stanevičius, Simonas Daukantas and others.

Its journey round about Lithuania the exhibition started on May 6, 1996 in the public library of Zarasai. It has already been in the libraries of Utena, Rokiškis, Visaginas, Ignalina, Molėtai, Jonava and on December 11 was opened in the public library of Alytus. It is on the display in each of the libraries for two week period. It is being planned within 1997, that is announced as the year of the First Book in Lithuanian language, to visit many libraries of Lithuania with this exhibition.

On January 8, 1997, the jubilee exhibition is going to be opened at the Vilnius University Library in P. Smuglevičius Hall, where the visitors will have the unique possibility to see the very First Book in Lithuanian - "Katekizmas ..." by M. Mažvydas. The exhibition will be accesible for the visitors by August 31, 1997.

It is also being planned to arrange the exhibition using the Library collections at the UNESCO office in Paris as well as at the National Library of Germany in Berlin. That should take place in the second half of 1997.

Birutė BUTKEVIČIENĖ
Head of Vilnius University Library