Academic CentreThis historical collection containing issues important to book publishing in Latvia gives an insight into Latvian history, culture and social and economic life. The oldest editions of the collection date back to the 17th century. The most important to the cultural history of Latvia are the first Latvian translation of the Bible by Ernst Glück and a book of sermons by Georg Manzel, „Langgewünschte Lettische Postill”.
Amongst notable works of the 18th century there are „Augstas gudrības grāmata” and linguistics works „Neue vollständigere lettische Grammatik” and „Lettisches Lexikon” by Gotthard Friedrich Stender, books by Garlieb Merkel, ethnohistorical works of August Wilhelm Hupel, book of sermons by Christian David Lenz, dictionary by Jakob Lange and issues of calendar „Jauna un veca latviešu laiku grāmata”.
Editions of the first half of the 19th century include materials like works of theological and legal nature („Likumu grāmata par Kurzemes zemniekiem”, „Dzimtniecības atcelšanas likuma skaidrojumi”), regulations and announcements of Riga City Council, fiction of Blind Henry, Friedrich Stender, Christian Salzmann et al., pedagogical works of Eduard Napiersky, one of the oldest Latvian newspaper “Latviešu avīzes”, volumes of „Maggazin, herausgegeben von der Lettisch-Literaerisch Gesellschaft” and „Livlaendischer Kalender”.
Items can be ordered via Union catalog, to be received at the Library at Raiņa Boulevard.