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Libraries in a foreign land

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National Library of Latvia

I love travel as much as I love books! So whenever I am traveling, I enjoy checking out the library in that specific location. It is fascinating to see what libraries in other places look like, how they market their services, who are their patrons and what is in their collections (among other things!)

I have visited libraries in many U.S. locales. Because of my work as a food writer and historian, most have been libraries with a focus on special collections (such as The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, The Library Company of Philadelphia and Winterthur Museum, Gardens and Library), but others have been public libraries (Greenwich, CT, Providence, RI and The Free Library of Philadelphia) and university libraries (University of Delaware, Swarthmore and Haverford).

But earlier this year I had the amazing opportunity to visit the main building of the National Library of Latvia, a beautiful, imposing structure against the landscape of Riga, Latvia’s capital city. The National Library of Latvia (NNL) was first formed in 1919 following Latvia’s claim for independence in 1918. The books housed within were mainly from the huge private collection of Jānis Misiņš, the library’s first main librarian and bibliographer. But throughout the twentieth century, when Latvia was occupied first by the Nazis and then Soviet Communists, the library had different names and locations “eliminating reference to a sovereign Latvian state.”

Model of NLL “Castle of Light” project

When Latvia regained national independence in 1991, the library’s name reverted back to the National Library of Latvia. Construction on the current building (and the one I visited) began in the early 2000s and opened to the public in 2014. Recognized locally as the “Castle of Light” (Gaismas pils) in Riga, this 68-meter glass-and-steel pyramid is a striking vision that rises up like a beacon alongside the Daugava River, across from Riga’s charming Old Town.

Portrait of Gunnar Birkerts, Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Michigan, circa 1968 (Wikimedia Commons)

Today the library supports and helps develop Latvia’s information society, research, and lifelong learning. I was there on a weekday afternoon and had an incredible visit. Each of the five floors features interesting topics, collections and exhibits. After getting my visitor badge, I walked directly to the spectacular exhibit on the first floor: “Birkerts. Libraries. Light,” an exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Latvian-American architect Gunārs Birkerts (1925–2017) the designer of this magnificent building.

Born in Latvia, Birkerts received his architectural training in Germany, and then emigrated to the United States in 1949 where he became well-known throughout the field of architecture. While Birkerts designed many public buildings during his illustrious career, libraries had a special place in his portfolio. The exhibit highlights his life and creative work through the lens of nineteen libraries he designed – not only the ultra-modern NLL building, (which he called an expression of the post-Soviet reinvigoration of the Latvian nation’s potency and independence), but eighteen American libraries, including the University of Michigan Law Library, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library (public library and university library) in San Jose, and the Duluth (MN) Public Library.

Illuminated books at the NLL

After this, I slowly made my way up the stairs to the top floor of this wonderful space, soaking in the spaciousness and glory of the entire pyramid-shaped building. I stopped on each floor to take in the view from different angles and views. One breathtaking image was the thousands of books illuminated with light, shown here (on the left). Each floor featured different collections, study rooms, tech centers and exhibits (NLL, permanent and guest).

Image from the cookbooks section of the “A Century of Reading” exhibit

Another exhibition that really resonated with me was  “Freedom Begins with a Book” on the top floor, with a focus on “A Century of Reading,” highlighting Latvian language books, including cookbooks (one of my favorite genres!). At the beginning of the 19th century, only about ten books were published in the Latvian language every year. But by the end of the century, the number rose to 300, including poetry, music, plays, stories, and popular book series. Despite strict censorship under the Russian Empire—including a decades-long ban on Latin-alphabet printing in Latgale—high literacy rates helped Latvians circulate underground publications and resist imperial control. By the end of the 1800s, print became the dominant medium of communication and cultural development, with most Latvian-language works increasingly written or translated by Latvians themselves.

The visit to this library capped off an incredible trip of a lifetime to Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, and Switzerland – an experience rich in history, culture, beauty and knowledge. I am so glad I got a chance to see this remarkable library within the beautiful city of Riga!

Look here for further reading:

“Castle of Light” book about the creation of the NLL

At Rutgers: