The State Library of the BSSR named after Lenin is one of the largest cultural and educational institutions of the republic: based on the materials of the periodical press of the first half of the 1950s, the database "NBB in the press"

In the 1950s of the last century, the State Library named after V.I. Lenin was tasked with organizing activities as a centre for interlibrary subscription, scientific, methodological and bibliographic work and the main base of library and bibliographic services for research work in the republic, as well as the central state book depository of the BSSR. Thus, the role of the library in ensuring the social and cultural development of the state and society was emphasized.

“Soviet Belarus” ("Советская Белоруссия") 1950, January 28, p. 2

On the pages of republican newspapers, readers had the opportunity to get acquainted with the rich collections of the library. 

“Soviet Belarus” (“Советская Белоруссия”) 1950, June 10, p. 3

The author of the article "Books about sights and memorable places of Belarus" focuses on an interesting book stored in the department of Belarusian literature of the State Library "Historical information about the most remarkable places in Belarus: with the addition of other information related to it" (1855). The preface to this book says: "There is no place in Belarus that is not marked by some historical incident."

Bez-Kornilovich M.O. Historical information about the most remarkable places in Belarus: with the addition of other information related to it. St. Petersburg: in the Printing House of the III Ed. Own E. I. V. Office. 1855

In this edition, which is still kept in the collections of the National Library of Belarus, the reader can find valuable information about interesting places and notable people, memorable events on the Belarusian land.

The author of the article Gedali Moiseevich Safyan, the scientific secretary of the State Library named after V.I. Lenin, said that the library has the first editions of the book by F. Engels' The Origin of the Family, Property and the State, published in St. Petersburg and Moscow in 1894 and 1895, a complete set of Lenin's newspaper Iskra and other works by V.I. Lenin.

"The Department of Belarusian Literature of the Belarusian State Library named after V.I. Lenin compiled a valuable bibliography of materials about Belarus, published in the press of the Soviet Union in Russian and Ukrainian," it was reported in the "Soviet Belarus"("Советская Белоруссия") on August 1, 1950.

Nina Borisovna Vatatsi, Chief Bibliographer of the Belarusian Literature Department of the Library, was engaged in research work on the search for publications unknown in literary studies of the works of Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas:

“Soviet Belarus”("Советская Белоруссия") 1950, July 11. p. 4

In her publications, N.B. Vatatsi spoke about the books of K. Krapiva published over the past 30 years, about the translations of his dramatic works into different languages of the peoples of the world, about the proximity to the folk of his apt expressions, which began to be used as proverbs and sayings.

And in the newspaper "Literature and art" ("Літаратура і мастацтва") for February 26, 1955 she raised the issue of scientific and technical design of scientific books and auxiliary indexes, drew attention to the need for republican publishing houses to study the experience of the best central publishing houses.

In the reading room of the V.I. Lenin State Library. “Soviet Belarus” ("Советская Белоруссия") 1955, January 21. p. 3

In the early 1950s, patronage work was established in the library, as described in the article "Patronage of the collective farm" in "Soviet Belarus" ("Советская Белоруссия") Ya. Dragoon, chairman of the collective farm "Red Banner" of the Papernyansky Village Council of the Minsk district. The staff of the State Library named after V.I. Lenin provided comprehensive assistance: the transfer of literature, conversations and lectures, Sundays during the harvest.

“Zvyazda” («Звязда») 1950 August 29, p. 1

The senior librarian of the scientific and methodological office of the State Library, Anna Grigorievna Melamed, in an article published in the "Soviet Belarus" "Советская Белоруссия" on April 4, 1951, reported on the work to promote the best works of fiction, which included all the libraries of the republic, including the main one. Readers' conferences, literary evenings were held, exhibitions and reviews of novelties of fiction were shown.

The author of the article "Rare Books of Adam Mickiewicz" ("Soviet Belarus"("Советская Белоруссия") 1955, February 26, p. 3) reported that before the Great Patriotic War, the library kept books of the famous Polish poet published during his lifetime, after the war it was possible to save a rare edition of A. Mickiewicz "Pan Tadeusz" translated by M. Berg.

Mickiewicz A. Pan Tadeusz. Warsaw, 1875

A large exhibition was prepared in the library for the 100th anniversary of the death of A. Mickiewicz, which included Paris editions of the author in French, translations of the poet's works by Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas. V. Mickiewicz's book "Adam Mickiewicz, sa vie et son oeuvre" ("Adam Mickiewicz. His life and work", 1888), which is still kept in the National Library.

Special attention should be paid to the article by the reader of the library P. Verkhov "Carefully protect the monuments of writing", where he proposed to immediately solve the tasks of saving valuable cultural monuments – to create a photo laboratory at the State Library named after V.I. Lenin, which would prolong the life of unique publications and expand the circle of readers who could use this literature.

The author of the publication talked about the most interesting rare publications stored in the State Library at that time, including M. Smotrytsky's Grammar, the basis of Church Slavonic grammatical science. This remarkable monument of Slavic grammatical thought of 1648, which emphasized the need for conscious assimilation of educational material ("understand words with your mind"), can be found in the National Library of Belarus.

Smotritsky M. Grammar. Moscow: Printing Yard, 1648

More detailed information on the topic can be found in the database "National Library of Belarus in the press". In addition, by subscribing to the newsletter of articles of the mentioned resource, you will receive all the news about our library.

The material was prepared by Tatiana Prostratskaya, the head of the sector of the information and analytical department.

Bibliography:

1. Библиотека имени Ленина в городе Минске / фото К. Якубовича, Л. Попковича // Совет. Белоруссия. – 1950. – 28 янв. – С. 2.
2. Богатый фонд литературы по искусству // Совет. Белоруссия. – 1953. – 28 нояб. – С. 2.
3. Ватаци, Н. Обнаружены неизвестные публикации произведений Я. Купалы и Я. Коласа / Н. Ватаци // Совет. Белоруссия. – 1950. – 11 июля. – С. 4.
4. Ватацы, Н. Наспеўшае пытанне / Н. Ватацы // ЛіМ. – 1955. – 26 лют. – С. 4.
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6. Вярхоў, П. Клапатлiва ахоўваць помнiкi пiсьменнасцi / П. Вярхоў // ЛіМ. – 1955. – 12 сак. – С. 3.
7. Драгун, Я. Шефство над колхозом / Я. Драгун // Совет. Белоруссия. – 1950. – 24 сент. – С. 3.
8. Здоровенин, О.А. Белоруссия в печати Советского Союза / О.А. Здоровенин // Совет. Белоруссия. – 1950. – 1 авг. – С. 4.
9. Книги о достопримечательных местах и памятных событиях в Белоруссии // Советская Белоруссия. – 1950. – 10 июня. – С. 3.
10. Меламед, Х. Пропаганда художественных произведений в библиотеках / Х. Меламед // Совет. Белоруссия. – 1951. – 4 апр. – С. 2.
11. Редкие книги, посвященные А. Мицкевичу // Совет. Белоруссия. – 1955. – 26 февр. – С. 3.
12. Рэспубліканская бібліятэка – калгаснікам // Звязда. – 1950. – 29 жн. – С. 1.
13. Саф’ян, Г. У фондах Беларускай дзяржаўнай бібліятэкі / Г. Саф’ян // Звязда. – 1950. – 19 мая. – С. 3.
14. У чытальнай зале Дзяржаўнай бібліятэкі імя У.І. Леніна : фото // Совет. Белоруссия. – 1955. – 21 янв. – С. 3.