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Geomorphological and sedimentological research carried out in the vicinity of Vilnius (SW Lithuania) aimed to determine the age and stages of development of gullies in relation to climatic conditions and human activity. Two gullies located on the northern slope of the Vilnia river valley were examined in detail. The sedimentological features of the sediments which form fans at the mouths of the gullies were analysed. Three main lithological units were distinguished. On the basis of radiocarbon datings, the beginning of gully erosion was determined to be in the Middle Ages. This process began with intensive settlement in this area. Further stages of a cutting which were distinguished include early modern times and the period from the seventeenth century to the present day.

National atlases provide comprehensive information about nature, population, social and economic situation of the country. In 2017 the process of compiling and publishing the National Atlas of Lithuania (Lietuvos Nationalinis Atlasas) was finished. The goal of the authors is: in the context of the whole National Atlas to present a thorough analysis of the structure of content and cartographic visualization methods of Volume III. This volume focusses on social and economic phenomena in Lithuania. The authors discuss the principles of compiling the whole National Atlas of Lithuania and presents its structure in a concise manner. Following the classification of traditional mapping methods, specific examples of mapping in Volume III are presented, advantages of mapping techniques are discussed and the structural analysis of mapping methods is also conducted. The conclusions and the discussion part present the problems encountered while compiling Volume III as well as solutions to them.

The article summarises results of studies conducted along the Baltic Sea sandy coasts by scientists involved in coastal dune research, and presents an attempt to describe the types and distribution of dune coasts. The Baltic Sea coasts feature lower and higher foredunes. The lowland behind the coastal dune belt is covered by wandering or stabilised inland dunes – transgressive forms, mainly parabolic or barchans. The source of sediment for dune development includes fluvioglacial sands from eroded coasts, river-discharged sand, and older eroded dunes. Due to the ongoing erosion and coastal retreat, many dunes have been eroded, and some are withdrawing onto the adjacent land. There are visible differences between the south-eastern, western, and northern parts of the Baltic Sea coast with respect to dune development. The entire southern and eastern coast abounds in sand, so the coastal dunes are large, formerly or currently wandering formations. The only shifting dunes are found at the Polish and the Russian–Lithuanian coasts on the Łebsko Lake Sandbar as well as on the Vistula and Curonian Spits. The very diverse shoreline of the south-western coast experiences a scarcity of larger sandy formations. Substantial parts of the Baltic Sea sandy coasts have been eroded or transformed by humans. The northern part of the Baltic Sea coast features mainly narrow and low sandy coasts (e.g. in Estonia). Further north, sandy dunes are virtually absent.

Climate atlases summarize large sets of quantitative and qualitative data and are results of complex analytical cartographic work. These special geographical publications summarize long term meteorological observations, provide maps and figures which characterise different climate elements. Visual information is supplemented with explanatory texts. A lot of information on short and long term changes of climate elements were provided in published Lithuanian atlases (Atlas of Lithuanian SDR, 1981; Climate Atlas of Lithuania, 2013), as well as in prepared but unpublished Lithuanian Atlas (1989) and in upcoming new national atlas publications (National Atlas of Lithuania. 1st part, 2014). Climate atlases has to be constantly updated to be relevant and to describe current climate conditions. Comprehensive indicators of Lithuanian climate are provided in different cartographic publications. Different time periods, various data sets and diverse cartographic data analysis tools and visualisation methods were used in these different publications.

Badania semiotycznych aspektów litewskich wojskowych map żeglugi powietrznej bazowały na semantycznej, graficznej i informacyjnej analizie treści tych map. Celem analizy semantycznej było określenie na ile tradycyjne symbole kartograficzne stosowane na mapach nawigacji lotniczej są zgodne z wymogami języka kartograficznego oraz zasadami stosowania znaków kartograficznych. Powyższe analizy przeprowadzono w sposób kompleksowy, informacje zebrano za pomocą ankiet, przeprowadzając wywiady w różnych środowiskach, w tym m. in. wśród pilotów, kartografów oraz innych użytkowników map.

The Dubičiai glaciolacustrine basin was studied by means of geomorphological, lithological and cartographic methods in order to reconstruct water level changes during postglacial time. The formation of the basin and respective sedimentation processes began immediately after the deglaciation. Glaciolacustrine terraces in the Dubičiai basin formed during the Frankfurt (Grūda) Stage of the last glaciation, and during the Dryas–Allerød, Boreal and Subatlantic chronozones. Intense evolution of the basin took place at the end of the Late Pleistocene and in the Early Holocene. The greatest changes in the topography were due to thermokarst processes which began in the Allerød and continued until the Boreal. Climate became warm and moist at the beginning of the Preboreal and thus created good conditions for accumulation of gyttja, peat and freshwater lime. The latest stage in the development of the Dubičiai basin occurred in the 19th century. In 50 years the area of the basin decreased by 10 times: from 221 ha in 1850 to 20 ha in 1900. The last major change in the hydrographic network of the basin occurred in 1958–59 when an artificial drainage project was completed.

This paper presents a collection of manuscript heritage which is kept at the Department of Rare Books, Collections and Manuscripts of the Klaipeda University Library. At present, a total of 8 funds are already formed there. They are: Ansas Lymantas (f. 1), Kazys Pemkus (f. 2). Villus Peteraitis (f. 3), Ieva Jankute (f. 5), Vytau-tas Strolia (f. 8), and others: score manuscripts (f. 4), single documents (f. 7), musicians in exile (f. 6). The collections of A. Lymantas (f. 1) and K. Pemkus (f. 2) could be regarded as the best analyzed ones. The content of the personal ar-chives (K. Pemkus collection, f. 2), heritage of manuscripts in the archives of Lithuania Minor and the briefly described material placed in oth-er collections and funds of the Department are reviewed in the paper. There are several groups of archives in the collection of K. Pemkus (a well-known bib-liophile and therapist in exile): manuscripts of writers and linguists; historians; therapists; pedagogues; lawyers; artists; public figures; priests, etc. There are presented original texts (manuscripts and typescripts), corrections of texts, translations, notes, original letters or their copies, iconography, scraps about their creative work, personalities, programs of literary events, invitations and other small printings. The fund (f. 2) of Ansas Lymantas (represen-tative of the press, journalist, a former citizen of Klaipeda), containing documents of organiza-tions of Lithuania Minor in exile, materials of the „Lietuvos pajūris" newspaper, biographical and public work documents is reviewed in more detail. The content of such funds as these of Villus Peteraitis (a public figure, lexicologist, KU doc-tor of Honour), Ieva Jankute (a granddaughter of the well-known "Aušra" publisher Martynas Jankus), musician Vytautas Strolia, score manu-scripts, musicians in exile, and the fund of single documents are briefly described. Information about this heritage could be found at the web site of the Department of Rare Books, Collections and Manuscripts at the Klaipeda University Library's home page: http://www.ku.lt/libr/structure/retu.php [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]