Submitted by Amber KIrste on the 2024 Winter LLCU program in Riga, Latvia…
Today, we went to the National Library of Latvia.
We are now into week two of three of our study abroad program here in Riga, Latvia. Earlier in the week, we went castle exploring and hiking and met with the Secretary Minister of Culture of Latvia.
My favorite part of the week has been going to the National Library. We received a guided tour from the library director of communications. The library was absolutely beautiful, and we learned about its history.
The national library was built in 2014, and previously, the collection was stored in five different libraries across Riga. Today, January 18, 2024, marks the 10th anniversary of the library’s opening.
The story behind the opening of the library is fascinating. To transport the books from the previous library to the current library, the people of Latvia formed a human chain to pass the books from the previous library to the current by hand. It was fascinating to watch the videos of the thousands of Latvian people passing books through the ranks of the human chain to ensure every book found its rightful place in the library.
Another fun fact about the library is that there is a way for you to donate your favorite book to the library with an explanation of why it is your favorite book, and it will then be stored in the library’s collection of books. Over 2000 books have been donated this way, and some of those books include the favorite books of kings, queens, foreign dignitaries, and even celebrities.
After our spectacular library tour, we talked with the author of one of our class texts, “Soviet Milk.” The author’s name is Nora Ikstena, and she was a fabulous person to talk to about both her book and writing in general. As a writer myself, I enjoyed learning about her tips and tricks for writing, and she even gave me some very helpful information for my undergraduate thesis. (Submitted on January 18, 2024)
