Tasks and functions

The aim of the Academic Library of the University of Latvia is to foster the achievement of the mission of the UL, to ensure the accessibility of the information resources and services, necessary for the fulfillment of the academic work:


  • To foster the achievement of the mission of the UL, by helping in the development of interdisciplinary research programmes, especially “Letonica”.
  • To continue the traditions of the historical “Bibliotheca Rigensis”, founded in 1524 and Misiņš library (founded in 1885), ensuring the storage and accessibility of the rare publications and manuscripts which are important for the history of Latvian  culture and cultural heritage of the world.
  • To facilitate the establishment of the intercultural dialogue based on the academic activity.
  • To ensure the accessibility and usage of the funds in accordance with the internal regulations in force of the library.
  • To ensure that the library creates the national collection of the print work with the state-financed mandatory issues, the maintenance of the fund, its accessibility and the preservation of the historical name of the Misiņš library. 


The main functions:

  • To create the fund in accordance with the aims of the library in social and humanitarian areas.
  • To collect, preserve, and put into order the polygraphist production, rare books, manuscripts, electronic issues, and other documents, as well as to participate in the creation of the State Unified Library Information Network.
  • To create local databases.
  • To ensure that the general public has the access to the library’s funds and databases.
  • To popularize the fund, to co-operate with the society.
  • To compile and issue the bibliographic indexes.
  • To conduct the research in the area of library science, bibliography, and book science. 
  • To ensure the preservation of the fund, digitalization, creation of the digital library, and the access to the unique collections.
  • To modernize and increase the scope of the services offered.
  • To participate in the international inter – library exchange, become full – member in international organizations and systems conducting with the exchange of data.   
  • To participate in the creation of the national bibliographic database; to co – ordinate it’s activity with other universities and scientific libraries.
  • To take part in the operations of the international organizations and library employee organizations and get involved in the realization of projects and programmes.
  • To be the part of the Common Language Resources and Technology Infrastructure (CLARIN).