National Library of Latvia: A National Cultural Institution Known for Its Popular Exhibitions

Located in the capital city Riga, the National Library of Latvia attracts visitors that range from residents needing traditional library services to cultural enthusiasts viewing the library's countless exhibitions. Featuring permanent, temporary, and even virtual exhibitions, an exhaustive amount of print and digital library resources, and serving as a center for research and lifelong education, the National Library of Latvia is an important national cultural institution that has received recognition from UNESCO.

A monument to tradition and modernity, the library is unique in that it offers both historical documents and modern services, such as Internet access and interlibrary loans. Established in 1919 and having survived occupation by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, the library’s eight buildings are home to over five million titles, more than 18,000 manuscripts dating from the 14th Century to modern times, and a highly valuable collection of national literature. Furthermore, at any one time the library is host to around 20 exhibitions that bring in innumerable visitors. It is these diverse services offered by the Library that explain why so many people go through its doors every day.

The large crowds, while an endorsement of the Library and its facilities, are a daunting challenge for surveillance staff, especially when added to by the library’s nearly 500 employees. VIVOTEK’s FD8166A-S and SC8131 cameras make facility management much smoother by offering state-of-the-art people-counting technology to provide an omniscient view of all those within the Library. Security and surveillance are an absolute necessity for an institution as physically immense and culturally important as the National Library of Latvia, and these two cameras abundantly satisfy both factors by providing clear video streams and accurate estimates for visitor counts.

A technology-minded company specializing in CCTV cameras and security systems, NVision teamed up with VIVOTEK to install two SC8131 cameras and three FD8166A-S cameras at the entrance of the National Library of Latvia in December 2016. With its five new cameras, the National Library of Latvia is now fully capable of controlling crowds and providing safety for both visitors, staff, and the valuable archives and technology stored inside the building.