The National Library Of Lithuania

What The National Library Of Lithuania does

The National Library of Lithuania (Lietuvos nacionalinė Martyno Mažvydo biblioteka) is the main national library of the Republic of Lithuania, operating as a government budget institution (biudžetinė įstaiga) under the Ministry of Culture. Named after Martynas Mažvydas, the first Lithuanian book printer, it functions as the nation's primary cultural memory institution with a statutory mandate over national bibliography, rare manuscript preservation, and library-system coordination. Its served population spans all Lithuanian citizens, with explicit service tracks for children and youth, researchers and academics, persons with disabilities, and cultural heritage organizations, plus diaspora access via globally available digital platforms.

The institution operates a portfolio of integrated platforms and physical spaces. The LIBIS joint catalog at ibiblioteka.lt is the unified discovery and circulation system integrated with a network of more than 1,500 Lithuanian public libraries. Virtual exhibitions are delivered through parodos.lnb.lt, and digital heritage is exposed through the E. paveldas portal and a connection to Europeana. Physical infrastructure comprises nine specialized reading rooms (Lithuanian studies, music and visual arts, rare books and manuscripts, social sciences, media, humanities, children and youth literature, Americas, and the seasonal Palanga summer reading room), the Children and Youth Literature Center, the PATS SAU creative workshop (free access to 3D printing, laser cutting, vinyl cutting, sublimation printing, robotics kits, and microcomputers), the Žaisloteka free childcare center for children aged 3–6, a media workshop, a sound-recording studio, and TV and cinema spaces. Accessibility services include Easy-to-Read Lithuanian content, sign-language interpretation, and dedicated programs for users with intellectual, visual, hearing, mobility, and audio-sensory impairments.

The library is government-funded through appropriations; core services—reading room access, registration, interlibrary loan, educational programs, and most exhibitions—are free of charge. Paid services are limited to document copying, scanning, and printing, with revenue-adjacent income from event venue rental, photography and filming permits, and sales of published works. The in-house Science and Encyclopaedia Publishing Center produces the Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia (Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija), the Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija, and other reference works. Distribution combines the Vilnius main building at Gedimino pr. 51, the seasonal Palanga summer reading room, traveling exhibitions to rural communities, and globally accessible digital platforms. The institution is led by Director Aušrinė Žilinskienė, who was additionally elected Chair of the Lithuanian Libraries Council in July 2026.

Name

The National Library Of Lithuania

Legal name

Lietuvos nacionalinė Martyno Mažvydo biblioteka

Website

https://lnb.lt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The National Library of Lithuania is a state-funded national library under the Ministry of Culture, operating the LIBIS joint catalog, virtual exhibitions, encyclopaedia publishing, nine specialized reading rooms, and accessibility and children's services for Lithuanian citizens and researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (519), Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Resource Sharing Operations (EDAEAGAK), Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE), Special Libraries (Law, Medical, Corporate, Government) Operations (EDAEAGAD)

Keywords

• National library services
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Digital library catalog
• Children's literacy programs
• Public reading rooms

Headquarters

HQ city

Vilnius

HQ country

Lithuania

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The National Library of Lithuania operates as the country's national library, providing public access to a collection of over 7 million items including books, periodicals, electronic resources, rare manuscripts, and digital collections. It offers catalog and circulation services via the LIBIS joint catalog on ibiblioteka.lt, specialized reading rooms, cultural exhibitions and events, research and publishing services through the Science and Encyclopaedia Publishing Center, accessibility services including easy-to-read materials, and dedicated children's and youth programming including the PATS SAU creative maker workshop.

Product overview

The National Library of Lithuania (Lietuvos nacionaline Martyno Mazvydo biblioteka) operates as a national cultural institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of library services organized around several core product areas: (1) Catalog and circulation services via the LIBIS joint catalog on ibiblioteka.lt portal, enabling unified search and borrowing across Lithuanian libraries; (2) Specialized reading spaces including the Children and Youth Literature Center with dedicated areas like Mazuju erdve (Little Ones Space) and Zaisloteka childcare center, plus the PATS SAU creative workshops for school-age youth with 3D printing and maker equipment; (3) Virtual exhibitions platform (parodos.lnb.lt) showcasing digitized collections; (4) Electronic and remote services for online reservations and renewals; (5) Publishing through the Science and Encyclopaedia Publishing Center producing the Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia and reference works; (6) Accessibility services including easy-to-read materials (lengvai suprantama kalba) for diverse reader needs; and (7) Media library resources including audio-visual materials. The institution also provides interlibrary loan, research services, and cultural programming through its various spaces and research centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LIBIS Jungtinis katalogas (Joint Catalog via IBiblioteka.lt) Unified catalog and circulation platform providing search, reservation, and borrowing access to library collections across Lithuania through the ibiblioteka.lt portal.
• Virtual Exhibitions Platform (Virtualios parodos) Online platform hosting digital exhibitions of library collections, featuring themed displays on Lithuanian culture, literature, and history with objects, topics, and multimedia content.
• Children and Youth Literature Center (Vaikų ir jaunimo literatūros centras) Dedicated center offering children's and youth literature services including reading areas, educational programs, workshops, and resources for young readers and families.
• PATS SAU Workshops (Dirbtuvės PATS SAU) Free open creative workshop for school-age children and youth offering access to 3D printing, laser cutting, vinyl cutting, heat press, sublimation printing, robotics kits, microcomputers, and various creative tools and materials.
• Žaisloteka Children's Center (Vaikų užimtumo centras Žaisloteka) Free childcare service within the library where children aged 3-6 can be supervised by working staff while parents use library services, featuring play areas and educational activities.
• Mažųjų erdvė (Little Ones Space) Non-traditional library space for the youngest readers based on the Swedish children's library model, organized by categories (animals, adventures, poetry, foreign languages) rather than alphabetical order, with books displayed face-out.
• Electronic and Remote Services (Elektroninės paslaugos) Online services including remote document ordering, reservation system, borrowing period extension, and digital access to library resources through the ibiblioteka.lt portal.
• Science and Encyclopaedia Publishing Center (Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras) Publishing division producing encyclopedias including the Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia), Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija, and other reference works.
• Easy-to-Read Materials (Lengvai suprantama kalba) Accessibility service providing texts and publications in easy-to-read format for people with intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties, dyslexia, elderly readers, and those learning Lithuanian as a foreign language.
• Mediateka (Media Library) Audio-visual resource center offering video recordings, podcasts (tinklalaidės), and other multimedia materials for library patrons.
• Specialized Reading Rooms Network Multiple specialized reading rooms including Americas Reading Room, Palanga Summer Reading Room, Rare Books and Manuscripts Reading Room, Social Sciences Reading Room, Children and Youth Literature Reading Room, Media Reading Room, Humanities Reading Room, Lithuanian Studies Reading Room, and Music and Visual Arts Reading Room.
• Databases and Digital Resources (Duomenų bazės) Access to Lithuanian and foreign databases, electronic periodicals, open access resources, Lithuanian cultural heritage portal (E. paveldas), and Europeana cultural heritage portal.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• British Library: The UK's national library, a large incumbent operating with a comparable mandate in bibliographic stewardship, digital scholarship, and cultural heritage, but at substantially greater scale than Lithuania's library.
• OCLC: A global library cooperative providing shared cataloging, WorldCat discovery, and interlibrary loan infrastructure — overlapping with LIBIS in function, but serving libraries internationally rather than as a national bibliographic authority.
• Library of Congress: The U.S. national library, a broad incumbent in the same category with the largest collection and bibliographic authority globally; serves as a strategic reference model rather than a direct competitor.
• Bibliothèque nationale de France: France's national library (BnF), a broad incumbent in the same category with parallel functions in digital heritage (Gallica), national bibliography, and rare manuscript preservation at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• National Library of Finland: Finland's national library, operating a comparable mandate of bibliographic stewardship, digital collections, and interlibrary services for a Nordic population of similar profile to Lithuania.
• National Library of Poland: Biblioteka Narodowa — Poland's national library, a regional peer operating in a comparable EU member state context with parallel mandate around the national bibliography, rare manuscripts, and digital access.
• National Library of Sweden: Royal Library of Sweden (Kungliga biblioteket), a Nordic national library peer with comparable cultural heritage, digitization, and national bibliographic authority functions at slightly larger scale.
• National Library of Estonia: Estonia's national library, another Baltic neighbor with a closely parallel mission in cultural heritage preservation, digital services, and public library coordination for a small EU member state.
• National Library of Latvia: Latvia's national library and a direct Baltic peer. Operates with a similar mandate to maintain the national bibliography, host digital heritage portals, and coordinate public library services for a comparably sized population.

Others

• Europeana: EU-funded digital cultural heritage platform that aggregates European library collections (including Lithuanian content via E. paveldas). Functions as a complementary distribution channel and EU-policy-aligned peer rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vaikuirjaunimoliteraturosdepartamentas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-library-of-lithuania

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The National Library Of Lithuania