National Library of Latvia

The National Library of Latvia, also known as the Castle of Light, is a national cultural institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture of Latvia. The library was formed in 1919 after the independent Republic of Latvia was proclaimed in 1918. The current main building was designed by Latvian-American architect Gunārs Birkerts and opened in 2014. The library houses a modern information centre, multi-themed reading rooms, and access to rare books and audio/video recordings. It also features the Latvian Dainu skapis, a cabinet containing thousands of Latvian folk verse, recognized by UNESCO as having global significance. The library's collection includes over 4 million units, mostly Latvian publications concerning Latvia and Latvians. The library plays an important role in the development of Latvia's information society, providing Internet access to residents and supporting research and lifelong education