Eduard Tsygankov was born in 1938 in the village of Ostroglyady, Bragin district, Gomel region, in the family of a serviceman.
He finished high school and entered the library department of the Minsk pedagogical institute named after M. Gorky (now the Belarusian state pedagogical university named after M. Tank) in 1955. When he graduated from the university, he had received a diploma of a highly qualified librarian and bibliographer.
A young professional was hired as a methodologist at the A.S. Pushkin regional library in Minsk. Nonetheless, he was enlisted in the Soviet Army five months later. When he was discharged, he had returned to the library industry and had worked for eight years in various cultural institutions: as a methodologist at the V.I. Lenin state library of the BSSR (now the National library of Belarus), as an inspector and a senior inspector for library work in the office of the Ministry of culture of the BSSR, as a deputy director of the Minsk regional library named after A.S. Pushkin.
Eduard Tsygankov was appointed director of the State library of the BSSR named after V.I. Lenin in February 1968. He had been a capable, proactive leader who could bring the group together and set them up to complete their objectives, full of creative forces and enthusiasm. He had made a significant contribution to the history of the growth of the republic's primary library.
The State library of the BSSR named after V.I. Lenin was awarded the highest public and state award of the Soviet state – the Order of the Red Banner of Labor In 1972.
From the materials of his personal file as of 1970: "Principled, demanding, but at the same time sensitive and responsive to the team, Eduard Tsygankov gained authority among the members of the team."
Veterans of the library with pioneers, Eduard Tsygankov in the center
Eduard Tsygankov is the author of publications detailing the activities of the V.I. Lenin state library of the BSSR, the compiler and editor of a number of professional publications, the compiler of methodological and bibliographic materials to help libraries, such as "To the 150th anniversary of the birth of A.I. Herzen (1812–1870)", (1962), "To the 80th anniversary from the birth of Yanka Kupala (1882–1942)" (1962), "The work of mass libraries to promote agricultural literature in the light of the decisions of the March Plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU" (1962), "The Soviet people are the winners of the space" (1963).
Eduard Tsygankov took an active part in the work of public organizations throughout his professional career. As a student, he became secretary of the Komsomol organization of the faculty, and later combined his activities with membership in the party bureau, with the leadership of the branch of the society of Soviet-Polish friendship, the interdepartmental library Council under the Ministry of culture of the BSSR. In the second half of the 70s, he studied at the Evening institute of Marxism-Leninism under the State committee of the Communist party of Belarus.
Eduard Tsygankov is in the center, 1970's
Eduard Tsygankov repeatedly went on official business trips abroad as part of tourist groups of library workers: to Bulgaria (1969), the USA (1972), Czechoslovakia (1972), Austria (1973), Yugoslavia (1974), the GDR and Finland (1981) in order to participate in professional events, complete scientific internships, and give lectures.
At national and all-Union meetings and seminars, Eduard Tsygankov willingly shared his knowledge and work experience with colleagues.
In the German Democratic Republic, 1981
Eduard Tsygankov's determination, high professionalism, and dedication were repeatedly awarded with the Certificate of honor of the Presidium of the supreme soviet of the BSSR for active work in the field of library science (1972), the medal "For Valiant Labor" (1970), the Certificate of honor of the Ministry of culture of the USSR and the Central committee of the Trade union of cultural workers, and the badge "For Excellent Work" of the Ministry of culture of the USSR.
Eduard Tsygankov in the center
Eduard Tsygankov devoted about 40 years to librarianship, including 15 years to the State library of the BSSR named after V. I. Lenin.
He was transferred to the position of Director of the A.M. Gorky government library (now the Presidential library of the Republic of Belarus). in July 1983.
Eduard Tsygankov passed in September 1996, Eduard Tsygankov left a lasting impression on not only Belarus' National library but also the nation's whole library sector.
The article was prepared by Irina Kuketa, senior librarian of the Library research department.
Read about veterans and employees of the National Library of Belarus in the section "Portraits: the history of the library in faces".
