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Prominent worker of the National Library, former Head of Lituanica Department Silvija Marija Vėlavičienė passed away on September 5, 2011.

So little time left till issuing of her book “In Search of Lost Time”… The book, witnessing her very important work in book science, librarianship and culture during four decades devoted to the National Library.

Silvija Marija Vėlavičienė was born in May 19, 1941, Kaunas. She studied Lithuanian language and literature in History-Philology faculty of Vilnius University in 1958–1963. Since 1964 she worked as a bibliographer in the State Republican Library (now Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania), since 1987 she was the Head of Lithuanian Studies Department. Later (2001–2008) Silvija Marija Vėlavičienė headed the Lituanica Department of the National Library.

S. M. Vėlavičienė received the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (in 1997), the Commemorative Medal of 13 January (in 2002), Martynas Mažvydas award for contribution  to Lithuanian language, writing history and book art (in 2008).

All colleagues of Silvija Marija Vėlavičienė will miss her professional view, sincere advices, optimism, inspirational love for work. We lost a good friend, and family lost beloved mother, wife, grandmother and sister…

Certificate signifying that Lithuanian DP press collection of 1945–1952 has been inscribed in the Lithuanian National Register of UNESCO programme „Memory of the World“ as an object of documentary heritage of national significance was presented to director general of the National Library Prof. Dr. Renaldas Gudauskas during the ceremony in the office of Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO on June 28.
Prints of this collection stored in archives of Lituanica Department reflect complicated historical period after the World War II revealing situation of Lithuanians – displaced persons (DP) in WWII refugee camps in Germany.

The collection is started to form in 1990, after Lithuania regained its independence. At this time many foreign Lithuanian organizations and individuals sent to the National Library publications and periodicals issued in emigration in 1945–1990 and unobtainable in Lithuaniain Soviet times.

Collection stored in Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania is a part of the Lithuanian National Archival Fund of Published Documents, comprehensively reflecting Lithuanian DP publishing in 1945–1952.

The new virtual exhibition „Portraits of exodus artists: Stepas Zobarskas“, dedicated to 100 years birth anniversary of Lithuanian emigration writer, translator, editor Stepas Zobarskas, is prepared in the National Library.

The exhibition presents manuscripts, printed documents and photos exposing facts of life and work of well-known cultural figure. Diverse activity of Stepas Zobarskas is reviewed in articles, prepared especially for this occasion. You can listen radio-recordings where Stepas Zobarskas himself speaks about two decades of activity of publishing house Manyland.