Established back in 1956, this library truly has a rich history. It's moved around a bit over the years, but it found its perfect home here in Vientiane in 1988. And boy, oh boy, does it do an important job!
You see, the National Library is on a mission to preserve all kinds of materials about Laos. They take their job seriously, my friend! Since 1989, they've been working on the Lao Ancient Manuscript Preservation Project. They're like the superheroes of ancient texts, rescuing manuscripts written in Lao and even Sanskrit. It's like a linguistic adventure!
But wait, there's more! Starting in 2007, the library joined forces with the University of Passau and the Berlin State Library. It's like a super team-up! Together, they've created the Digital Library of Lao Manuscripts. This means you can access these ancient manuscripts right from the comfort of your own computer. How cool is that?
In fact, the government of Laos has even given the green light to make this remarkable collection available on the internet. So, while you're exploring the library, remember that you're browsing through history and culture!
Oh, and by the way, did I mention that a brand-new national library was completed in 2017? It's like a shiny new headquarters for all things bookish! So, let's take a peek inside and see what hidden treasures we can uncover together, shall we?
