National Library of the Republic of Karelia

The National Library of the Republic of Karelia in Petrozavodsk dates back to 1833, when the city's first public library was located in the rooms of the governor's official apartment at the initiative of the Olonets Governor A. I. Yakovlev. The institution's holdings contain rare editions from the 16th to the early 20th centuries, including manuscripts and early printed books, and the rare books section became an independent department in 1992. The library was evacuated to the town of Kem in 1941–1943, and in 1918 its collections were completely destroyed by fire, necessitating their re-formation. Today the library conducts educational programs and literary meetings.