Spend the Night in the Castle of Light: The Latvian National Library Invites Students to an Unusual Night

Students will have the opportunity to spend an entire night at the Latvian National Library (LNB) by participating in the event "Student Night at LNB" on November 13 and 14. For the first time, the organizers have planned not only an evening and night program but also the option to stay overnight in the library building. According to the LETA agency citing LNB, the event will be free of charge. The evening program will be open to both students and other interested individuals; however, the overnight stay is exclusively for students who have submitted a corresponding application in advance. All participants will need a valid LNB reader's card and prior registration. ### From Scientific Discussions to Rap and Virtual CERN The main program will begin on November 13 at 18:00 and will last until 22:00. During this time, the library will host lectures, discussions, workshops, quizzes, film screenings, and tours. Guests will be able to familiarize themselves with library resources useful for study and research, as well as visit exhibitions. Among the discussion topics are ways to engage children and youth in science and the prospects of a scientific career. The program will also include inter-university debates in English and a screening of short films by students of the National Film School of the Latvian Academy of Culture. Musician and philologist Arturs Skutelis will conduct a rap workshop. History enthusiasts will have the opportunity to learn how to read old printed texts and get acquainted with traditional printing methods. Another unusual opportunity is a virtual tour of the Large Hadron Collider tunnel at CERN, organized in collaboration with Riga Technical University. Separate registration will be required for some activities. ### Hackathon Until Morning and Disco Until Two For those who prefer not only to listen but also to create their own projects, participation in the night hackathon "Challenge Fit" will be offered. It is organized by the student business incubator of the University of Latvia of Bioeconomy and Technology. With the support of mentors, participants will analyze problems, seek solutions, and develop ideas to present to the jury in the morning. After the evening program, the library will not close for participants. From 22:00 to 2:00, there will be a disco with DJ Linda Samsonova. At midnight, a tour of the dark corridors and rooms of the library is planned. Additionally, participants will learn about burial traditions and cemetery celebrations in Latvia. ### Sleeping Bag Required, Morning Yoga For those who decide to stay overnight, a sleeping area will be designated in the library's Conference Center from 2:00 to 6:30 on the morning of November 14. However, participants will need to bring their own bedding: the organizers request that they bring a mat and sleeping bag. The morning program will start at 7:00. One of its activities will be a yoga session on the 11th floor of the Castle of Light. Participants will need to bring their own mat and change into sportswear. Thus, students will be able to spend almost the entire night in the library—from evening lectures and entertainment to morning exercise with a view of Riga.