Exhibitions archive

Pro Captu Lectoris, exhibition of restored documents

10.05.2019 – 21.07.2019

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania will hold an exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the National Library and the 40th anniversary of its Document Conservation and Restoration Division.

The exhibition will feature restored valuable cultural objects that would otherwise have been lost: books and manuscripts published in different countries as well as boxes that have found their way back to readers and users.

After the Second World War, the National Library had to take into its custody various book collections from closed monasteries, churches, and manor houses, as well as a unique book collection from the University of Köningsberg which suffered heavy damage. Later, its entire collection had to be transported to Vilnius. It is no wonder that numerous publications, especially Jewish books, were in extremely bad physical condition. Thus professionals were required to bring these documents back to live using special techniques.

In 1979, after graduating from the Book Restoration Department at Vilnius University, restorer Laimutė Zadvornaja, working independently, restored a small-sized newspaper Skardas published in Vilnius in 1907. This marked the start of professional document conservation and restoration activities in the Republican Library (present-day National Library) of that period. Today these tasks are performed by 17 restorers holding high or top qualifications who are able to bring cultural objects damaged by time or human activities back to life. The items featured in the exhibition are a great testimony to their efforts.

At the opening ceremony will participate Jolita Steponaitienė, Director of the Information Resources Department, and Dalia Udrienė, a restorer holding the highest qualification in restoration, will give a presentation entitled “Restoring Martin Luther’s Bible (1545)” at the Library’s Conference Hall.