Latvia's National Library Plans Entrance Fee for Building Tours

The Latvian Ministry of Culture and the National Library of Latvia (LNB) are proposing a new set of regulations that would introduce a fee for viewing the iconic "Gaismas pils" (Castle of Light) building.

Under the proposed changes, visitors would be charged a 3-euro entrance fee for a self-guided tour of the library's premises. This new charge is slated to take effect on September 7, allowing time for public notification. However, the option to obtain a library reader's card and utilize standard library services will remain free of charge.

Beyond the new entrance fee, the proposed regulations also outline significant adjustments to existing services. The penalty for overdue borrowed materials is set to increase from 0.10 euros to 0.50 euros per item per day. Furthermore, the current flat annual fee of 24 euros for off-site borrowing, known as personal subscription, will be diversified into three tiers: a home subscription at 40 euros annually, a music collection subscription at 50 euros, and an academic subscription at 70 euros.

Prices for document digitization are also slated for an increase. Digitization of A4 documents without text recognition will rise from 0.18 to 0.25 euros, and for larger formats, from 0.35 to 0.40 euros. Digitization with text recognition will also see price hikes, from 0.35 to 0.40 euros for A4 and from 0.55 to 0.65 euros for larger formats. The library also plans to introduce charges for preparing datasets from its digital collection, with prices determined by estimate. Additionally, prices for interlibrary loan services are expected to rise, with costs increasing for requests from European countries (from 10 to 15 euros), other countries (from 15 to 22 euros), and for newer publications (from 16 to 25 euros).