A COLLECTION OF BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY

If you wish to use the photographs published in the exhibitions, please write a free-form request to the Director of the KTU Library and obtain her permission.

THE BEGINNING OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LITHUANIA

The University of Lithuania is the predecessor of Kaunas University of Technology, it was founded on 16 February 1922, and it originated from the Higher Education Courses in 1920-1922. The name of the university was changed several times: in 1930 it was renamed to the Vytautas Magnus University, in 1940 to Kaunas University, in 1941 back to Vytautas Magnus University, and in 1944 it was renamed Kaunas State Vytautas Magnus University.

The University of Lithuania was opened before the Statute of the University of Lithuania was approved by the Constituent Assembly of Lithuania. The President of the Republic of Lithuania Aleksandras Stulginskis, by order, confirmed Prof. Jonas Šimkus as the Rector of the University of Lithuania, Prof. Jonas Mačiulis (Maironis) as the Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Prof. Augustinas Voldemaras as the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Petras Avižonis as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Zigmas Žemaitis as the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, and Prof. Pranas Jodelė as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. On 24 March 1922, Constituent Assembly of Lithuania adopted the Statute of the University of Lithuania, which changed the structure of the University: The Faculty of Theology was reorganised into the Faculty of Theology-Philosophy (after the resignation of Prof. Dr. Jonas Mačiulius (Maironis), Prof. Pranciškus Būčys took over the leadership), the Faculty of Social Sciences was divided into two new faculties: Faculty of Humanities (Dean Prof. Mykolas Biržiška) and Faculty of the Law (Dean Prof. Petras Leonas). On 31 March 1925, following the publication of amendments to the Statute, the Faculty of Evangelical Theology was established under the management of Prof. Povilas Jakubėnas.

GENERAL UNIVERSITY PUBLICATIONS

The Stock of Rare Books of the library preserves general publications published by the University: “The University of Lithuania (Lietuvos universitetas): [statute, syllabuses, rules]” (1923), “Report of the University of Lithuania, February, 1922-June, 1924” (Lietuvos universiteto veikimo apyskaita, 1922.II.16–1924.VI.15) (1924), “Rules for students and free listeners of the University of Lithuania” (Lietuvos universiteto studentų ir laisvųjų klausytojų taisyklės) (1925), “The University of Lithuania, Feb. 16, 1922-Feb. 16 (Lietuvos universitetas, 1922.II.16–1927.II.16), 1927: account of the first five years of activity” (1927), “Vytautas the Great University: account of the second five years of activity” (Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas: antrųjų penkerių veikimo metų (1927.II.16–1932.XI.1) apyskaita) (1933). Semester lecture notes and academic year overviews are also preserved: “Review of lectures for the spring semester of 1924” (1924 metų pavasario semestro paskaitų apžvalga) (1924), “Review of lectures for the autumn semester of 1925” (1925 metų rudens semestro paskaitų apžvalga) (1925), “University of Lithuania, academic years from 1927 to 1928” (Lietuvos universitetas, 1927–1928 mokslo metais: (1927.IX.15–1928.II.16) (1928), etc.

The publication “The University of Lithuania, Feb. 16, 1922-Feb. 16 (Lietuvos universitetas, 1922.II.16-1927.II.16), 1927: account of the first five years of activity” (1927), in both Lithuanian and English, recalls the founding of the University and the beginning of its activities, introduces honorary professors and honorary doctors, provides a list of teaching staff, and introduces the faculties’ curricula, reports and other information. The “University of Lithuania in Digits” section focuses on staff, audiences (students and free listeners), income and expenditure. The number of staff, their distribution in the faculties, age distribution, the ratio of the number of staff to the number of students, etc. are presented. It also includes the number of listeners, the growth in the number of faculties, the ratio of students to free listeners, the distribution of listeners by age, nationality, gender, place of birth, etc.

Unique manuscript documents of the University are preserved: “Provisional Regulations of the University of Lithuania” (1925), “Regulations Project of the Vytautas Magnus University adopted by the Senate” (copy of Prof. Ignas Končius) (1933), “Preparation of the Statute of the Vytautas Magnus University”, as well as the work of the lecturers: Prof. Vladas Dubas, Prof. Vosylis Sezemanas, Prof. Vladas Jurgutis, Prof. Mykolas Römeris, Prof. Ignas Končius, Prof. Mykolas Biržiška, Prof. Augustinas Janulaitis, etc., as well as the lecture material and the final works of the students.

FACULTY PUBLICATIONS

Faculties issued regulations: “Regulations on Philosophy Department of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Lithuania” (1926), Regulations of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Lithuania” (1924), Regulations and Education Plan of the Faculty of Law of the University of Lithuania” (1923), “Regulations of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lithuania (Chapters VIII-IX)” (1925), etc. Medicine and Technology faculties have issued rules: “Education Rules for the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lithuania” (1922), “Education Rules for the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Lithuania” (1927). Lecture schedules were also published: “Lectures of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Lithuania for the autumn semester of 1927” (1927), “Schedule of Lectures of the Faculty of Theology-Philosophy of the Philosophy Department of the University of Lithuania for the spring semester of 1930” (1930), “Schedule of Lectures of the Faculty of Theology-Philosophy of the Philosophy department of the Vytautas Magnus University for the autumn semester of 1930″ (1930) = Vytautas Magni universitas fakultas theologico-philosophica pars philosophica: distributio praelectionum semestris autumnalis 1930 a.” (1930), etc.

Lecture material from lectors was being published: The Faculty of Theology-Philosophy published “Lectures on Fundamental Theology” by Assoc. Prof. Pranas Venckus, 2 parts (1931, 1933); Faculty of Law published “Lectures on the Encyclopaedia of Law” by Prof. Petras Leonas (1924), “Lectures on Civil Procedure” by Prof. Vladas Mačius (1924), “Criminal Law: Lectures” by Assoc. Prof. Vladimiras Stankevičius (1925); Faculty of Mathematics and Science published “Spherical Trigonometry: a course of lectures for the students of University of Lithuania” (1925) by Assistant. Petras Šernas; Faculty of Medicine published Prof. Jurgis Karuža “Skin Diseases: lectures given at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lithuania at VII and VIII semesters to the students during 1923-1924” (1926); Faculty of Technology published “Lectures on Electrical Engineering” by Prof. Jeronimas Šliogeris, D. 1 (1925), “Wood Technology Course” by Assoc. Prof. Antanas Gravrogkas, 2 parts (1926-1927), etc.

The faculties published textbooks, teaching aids and scientific monographs written by lecturers; The Faculty of Engineering published “Iron Constructions” (1933) by Assoc. Prof. Silvestras Grinkevičius, and “Technology of Building Materials” (1923) by Prof. Pranas Jodelė; Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences published Prof. Vincas Čepinskis “The Electronic Theory of Valence” (1928), Prof. Filypas Butkevičius’ “Elementary Qualitative Analysis: text 21 figs.” (1929); Faculty of Theology-Philosophy published Prof. Pranas Kuraitis’ “Basic Questions of Gnoseology” (1930); Faculty of Humanities published Assoc. Prof. Balys Sruoga’s “Etudes of Song Poetics” (1927), Assoc. Prof. Jonas Vabalas-Gudaitis “An Improved Method of Mental Reactions for the Study of Human Performance” (1927); Faculty of Medicine published “Textbook of Physiological Chemistry for Analyses” by Prof. Vladas Lašas (1923), “Textbook for Collecting Plants and Making Collections in Botany” by Prof. Constantin von Regel (1923), etc.

Serials were also being published. The Faculty of Theology-Philosophy published: “Friendship (Draugija): a monthly newspaper of science, literature and politics: [journal]”, “Soter: a newspaper of religious studies: Ephemerides Sacrarum Disciplinarum Theologicae-Philosophicae Facultis in Universitate Lituana“, „Logos: philosophy newspaper: [journal]“, Athenaeum: Ephemerides Humanarum Disciplinarum Theologico-Philosophicae Facultatis in Vytauti Magni Universitate: journal of language, literature, history and geography“; Faculty of Humanities published „Texts of the Faculty of Humanities“, „Nation and the Word: Publication of the Faculty of Humanities“, „Archivum philologicum: Texts of the Faculty of Humanities“, „Works and days: acta et commentationes ordinis philologorum Universitatis Lithuaniae“, „Eranus: commentationes societatis philosophicae Lituaniae: Texts of the Faculty of Humanities”, “Our folklore: Journal of the Folklore Commission of the Faculty of Humanities”; Faculty of Law published “Works of the Faculty of Law of the University of Lithuania = Ouvrages de la Faculté de droit de l’Université de Lithuanie”, “Library of Law Sciences”, “Library of Economics”; Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences published “Scientific Works of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the University of Lithuania”; Faculty of Medicine published “Medicine: a newspaper devoted to the theory and practice of medicine “; Faculty of Technology: “Technology: a periodical of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Lithuania”, etc.