On View
Founded in 1892, the Strashun Library was the first Jewish public library in the world, open to scholars, students, and everyday readers. Built upon the prestigious collection of renowned scholar and bibliophile Rabbi Matisyahu Strashun, the library grew to house over 35,000 volumes and became a beacon of Jewish learning—until its looting by the Nazis during World War II. Some of the books were hidden in the Vilna ghetto, others were seized and shipped to Germany, and fortunately, a significant portion made their way to YIVO in New York.
In 2022, YIVO completed the digitization of its Strashun Library materials as part of its Edward Blank YIVO Vilna Online Collections project. Now these materials are freely available online, preserving the legacy of Jewish life in Vilna, the “Jerusalem of Lithuania.”
Entry: Free
Sun-Thurs: 9:30am-7:30pm
Fri: 9:30am-3:30pm
Sat: Closed
Last entry is 1 hour prior to closing.