Vilniaus žydų viešoji biblioteka

In 2010 with the initiative of private book collector Mr. Wyman Brent and other enthusiasts, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania together with Ministry of Culture and Members of Parliament began to consider a possibility to renew Jewish public library tradition in Vilnius. More than 5 thousand books about Jewish culture, art, history and religion were donated by Mr. W. Brent and made up the basis of new library. After examining all the conditions, various opinions and suggestions, after assessment of possibilities to provide continuity to this project as well as quality of service and open access for public, the decision was made to establish the Vilnius Jewish Public Library as a structural unit of Vilnius County Adomas Mickevičius Public Library. Vilnius Jewish Library project was included to the 2011’s special commemoration of victims of the Holocaust memorial plan. The Library was granted premises located on Gedimino pr. 24. On the 5th of October, 2011 Mr. W. Brent signed endowment act regarding donation of his books collection to Vilnius County Adomas Mickevičius Public Library. On December 11 of the same year Library had its grand opening ceremony. The main goal of the Library is to ensure open and convenient access to creative work of Jewish authors and literature about actual and historical Jewish culture. While pursuing its main functions library also aspires to restore cultural heritage of Lithuanian Jewish people and revealing its contribution to Lithuania’s cultural, academic and social progress. In implementing these objectives, the Library not only continues the first Jewish public library tradition in accumulation of books which reflects valuable Jewish history, art, religion and science, but also promotes cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue between the city communities using library for art exhibitions, presentations of books, conferences, discussions, lectures and other educational and cultural events. Active co-operation with members of the general public, civil and cultural activists as well as government agencies and non-governmental organizations is based on transparency and cooperation principles. Our library is always open to various proposals regarding collective cultural activity. 

Vilnius Jewish Public Library contains a unique collection of more than 7000 documents: books, paintings, photographs, CDs and DVDs in different languages – English, Lithuanian, Russian, Polish, German, Yiddish, etc. The main criteria of the books acquisition is that all of the documents are about Jews and / or created by the Jew author. Information in various topics is available: fiction, children literature, philosophy, economics, law, history, art, cookery, sports books, etc. Vilnius Jewish Public Library consists of books about religion, especially about Judaism, biographies, art albums, historical books, books on Holocaust, fiction in foreign languages. Some of the books in the library are unique among Lithuanian libraries, for example selections of famous American Jewish artists, photographers, books on Judaism, historical publications, books in Yiddish. Books about Lithuanian Jews history and culture and Jewish Vilnius are essential to the library’s collection. Jewish public library has more than 800 books on Yiddish literature, history and culture. There are selected works of Yiddish classics by Sholem Aleichem, Sholem Asch, Abraham Sutzkever, Peretz Markish, Mendele Mocher Sforim, Chaim Grade and others.