A book exhibition timed to the 135th anniversary of the birth of Eugene Khlebtsevich has opened in the library, on September 23.
Eugene Khlebtsevich (1884–1953) is a Belarusian and Russian library scientist, bibliographer, researcher of literature and member of Belarusian cultural and social movement in the early twentieth century.
He was born in the village of Kleniki, Belsky Poviate, Grodno Province, in the family of an Orthodox priest. His father, Ivan Andreevich, taught arithmetic and geography at a religious school in Zhirovichi that his son Eugene attended. He graduated from school in 1900.
From 1907 to 1913, Eugene Khlebtsevich was a student of St. Petersburg University. Having joined the Belarusian Renaissance movement, he initiated a Belarusian students’ scientific and literary circle. His writing appeared in the Belarusian newspapers Nasha dolya and Nasha niva under the pseudonym Khalimon z-pad pushchy. He also wrote a column for the newspaper Novaya Rus, where the first works by Yanka Kupala, the classic of Belarusian literature, were published. Eugene Khlebtsevich helped the young poet in publishing his verses. With the support of publisher F. Pavlenkov, Eugene Khlebtsevich promoted public libraries. In 1911, he took part in the First All-Russian Library Congress (St. Petersburg) with the report about the establishment of public libraries in Grodno Province.
In the early 20-ies, Eugene Khlebtsevich worked at various Soviet governing bodies, where he supervised issues related to library science. Since 1943 and until his death he was a teacher and academic secretary of Moscow Library Institute. As a library scientist and bibliographer, Eugene Khlebtsevich studied readers’ interests, dealing with the question of "the writer and the reader." In 1936, he published his most significant research Mass reader and the work with the book (in Belarusian: Масавы чытач і работа з кнігай).
The exhibition is based on the original materials and documents from the personal archives of Eugene Khlebtsevich, stored in the National Library. The unique photographs, manuscripts, personal (family) and creative documents, as well as scientific papers on librarianship and publications of different years are on display.
The exhibition runs from September 23 to November 30, 2019 in the hall of manuscripts, rare and early-printed books (room 348).
The closing date may be changed.
The opening hours of the exhibition correspond to the opening hours of the reading room.
Admission is by library card or by ticket of the library's social and cultural center. Information and tickets may be obtained at the registration desk.
Contact us for information and booking. Phone: (+375 17) 293 27 22.
Bibliology Research Department
