Brigita Zorkienė (Vilnius University Library, Lithuania)
The identity of the Jesuit Order consisted of more than the establishment of schools and teaching. It was also missionary activities. The worldwide network of Jesuit missions was inseparable from the exchange of information among the members of the Order, who lived in different continents, and the printed explorations of exotic lands and other similar literature were very desirable, popular and useful for the missionaries and those wishing to become ones. Having a positive outlook on the God’s world, the Jesuits actively studied indigenous religions, learned local languages, observed nature, drew maps, and, above all, systematically shared their knowledge. The Jesuits provided a more comprehensive and informed knowledge about the languages and cultures of the Far East. The origins of Vilnius University Library itself can be traced back directly to the founding of the Jesuit College (1570), and later to the development of the University (from 1579). The Library was fully in line with the standards of Jesuit libraries, containing books necessary for lectures, study and the strengthening of faith. In the context of the Jesuit missionary activity, the Library was supplemented with the collections of letters, studies, cartography, memoirs, etc. from the missionaries working in exotic lands. The presentation discusses the literature of the missions housed at Vilnius University Library, its importance for the Jesuits and society, and the trips those books had taken.