The Great Book of Lithuania Aukuras Salduvei (Altar for Salduvė)
The largest book of Lithuania is being displayed in the first floor lobby of Šiauliai Academy Information Centre. Aukuras Salduvei. Didžioji Salduvės knyga (Altar for Salduvė. The Great Book of Salduvė) is the book dedicated to the millennium of Lithuania. This giant book, which weights 113.6 kilograms, is 1.25 metres high, 0.9 metres wide, 25 centimetres thick and has 184 pages. The idea was developed by Vilius Puronas.
The book consists of four chapters. The first chapter is on archaeology and it presents data from archaeological investigations. The part dedicated to the history and studies of Šiauliai district contains legends and stories about Salduvė mound. The chapter dedicated to the present day contains the present history of the city and the mound. The chapter on the future conveys the visions for cleaning up of the mound and the creation of the Baltic Park. Alongside with articles in Lithuanian language, there are some in Latvian (page 30) and Prussian languages (page 179) as well. The book is illustrated with the works and collages created by artists in various periods.
Metal covers are decorated with oak leaves cut out of steel sheets and black-and-white calfskin. The great book was printed by Šiauliai Printing House-Bindery. A special printing ink that will not fade for 300 years was used for the printing. Applied covers were created by Šiauliai joint stock company Elga. Directors of the both companies Stanislovas Dikša and Ramūnas Volbekas are sponsors of the book.
The first time the giant book was presented to the public was 2009, in the International Business and Achievement Exhibition in Šiauliai, while in 2010 the book was being displayed in Vilnius Book Fair. During the fair the giant book was shown to the President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė and the Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius. In 2012 the book was given to ŠU Library (now Šiauliai Academy Information Centre).
Šiauliai Academy Information Centre,
Vytauto St. 84, I floor lobby
Phone: (370 41) 595706;
Email: saic@mb.vu.lt
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