"Memory pages". The State Library named after V. I. Lenin in the second half of the 1960s

I would like to note the article by Irina Aleksandrovna Sankova, Deputy director of the State Library of the BSSR, "Reader offers, reader demands" (LiM. 1968. January 26), where she talked about a sociological study in which scientists, engineers, doctors, teachers, agronomists and others took part. "How to improve library and bibliographic services for readers?" - the study of this problem was conducted on an all-Union scale under the leadership of the Saltykov-Shchedrin State Public Library. As a result of such work, a number of issues came to light that needed to be addressed – the rational acquisition of library collections, the need for a mandatory copy of literature (at that time some libraries stopped receiving it), the organization and methodology of information activities of libraries, the organization of bibliographic classes, the establishment of microfilming and photocopying, etc. "This is our first sociological study in which the problems of library services for specialist readers are so widely raised. The beginning of a great work has been done -a deep study of readers' interests...", the author wrote.

The opening of the new building of the Mogilev Leninka in 1967, the Mogilev Regional Library, became a real celebration of the book, a celebration of readers. The poet and journalist Alexey Pysin wrote about this event in the newspaper "Literature and Art". A warm speech at the event was made by a guest from the V. I. Lenin State Library, I.A. Sankova, who presented two rare books:

LiM. 1967. January 20th, p. 1

The head of the scientific and methodological department of the library, Anna Grigoryevna Melamed, in the article “The Library network is growing and getting stronger”, published in the Librarian magazine, considered in detail the organization of the work of libraries in Belarus: streamlining the library network, improving the acquisition of funds, and the widespread development of interlibrary subscriptions. The author noted:

Librarian. March 1969.1. p. 56

A great resonance in society was caused by an article published in the ”Soviet Belarus“ on November 30, 1968, ”Offenders of the book", which raised the issue of preserving book collections – careful attitude to the book, observance of the established order by library readers. The author believed that every reader should be responsible for the safety of books. Reviews of this article were collected by Y. Gurtavenko in a material published on the pages of the same newspaper on January 15, 1969. The topic concerned excited readers: it was about those who cut, appropriate, do not return for years, lose books.

It is gratifying that the newspaper's performance caused some excitement among long-term lenders, some of whom returned books after a two- and three-year delay. The author wrote:

Soviet Belarus. 1969. January 15th, p. 4

"In the reading rooms for researchers of the V. I. Lenin State Library in 1966 there were more than ten thousand books and magazines of the subsidiary fund,” Zvyazda reported.

In one of the rooms of the humanities reading room.
In the foreground is Galina Volodko, a graduate student of the Department of Belarusian Literature at the Belgorod State University.
Photo by V. Kitas

The richness of the library's collections was revealed by exhibitions, which have always been popular with library visitors.

Valentina Nikiforovna Dyshinevich, head of the art sector of the Lenin Library, in the article “Treasures of Ancient Russian Art”, printed on the pages of “Soviet Belarus” in January 1966, invited to the book and illustrative exhibition of the same name, which covered seven centuries of Russian art. The exhibition was organized jointly with the Belarusian Theatre and Art Institute, the State Art Museum of the BSSR.

In the article "The Creator of books, hitherto unseen", she reported on an interesting exhibition "450 years of Belarusian book printing", where materials were widely presented that introduced the activities of the Belarusian first printer and educator Francisk Skaryna. The author introduced in detail the artistic design of his publications, which at that time were at the level of world printing standards, while maintaining their identity. "The best engravings in Skaryna's publications are characterized by monumentality of sound, skillful composition, free drawing, expression, technical skill in woodwork,” the author noted.

The Russian music and art critic V. V. Stasov wrote "about the very great importance of Skaryna's engravings among the Slavic monuments of woodcut art, emphasizing their strength and colorfulness, good drawing, great technical improvement and originality."

"Znamia iyunosti".1967. 6 Aug. p. 3

In the National Library of Belarus, you can get acquainted with the publication devoted to the history of book publishing and the role of the outstanding Belarusian scientist and educator Francysk Skaryna in the dissemination of the printed word, "450 years of Belarusian book printing" (Minsk, 1968), where the authors of the articles consider the artistic and printing design of books by F. Skarina.

The article "Library Mail", published in "Soviet Belarus" in 1968, reported on an exhibition at the New York Public Library dedicated to the 450th anniversary of Belarusian book printing.

Soviet Belarus. 1968. June 14. p. 4

In 2017, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Belarusian book printing, the NLB implemented a large-scale international exhibition project "Francisk Skaryna and his Era”, which turned the library into a center for creative and intellectual communication. Here you could get acquainted with the publications of Francysk Skaryna from the collections of the National Library of Belarus, watch films about him, participate in master classes and games, educational quizzes, etc.

Rare editions of the works of the French writer and playwright Romen Rolland could be found at the exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of his birth, which was organized at the State Library in 1966. Here you could see Russian pre-revolutionary, Soviet and French publications, articles and musicological works, a book in French "Aux peuples assassinés" (1916) with the autograph of the writer. Between the pages of this book was enclosed a sheet of paper with a record of the addresses of friends, made by R. Roland.

R. Rolland. Aux peuples assassinés. Paris, [1916?]

In 2011, the National Library of Belarus exhibited the exhibition "Enchanted Soul", dedicated to the 145th anniversary of the birth of Romain Rolland (1866-1944).

The author of the photo K. Yakubovich in "Soviet Belarus" captured an exhibition of Polish scientific and technical literature, which took place in 1966.

Soviet Belarus. 1966., October 13th. p. 3

Nina Borisovna Vatatsi told about the popularization of Maxim Bogdanovich's works among Russian readers in the article "Where Maxim Bogdanovich lived". A meeting of members of the Society of Old Nizhny Novgorod Residents dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the birth of Maxim Bogdanovich was held at the Gorky State Museum in Gorki, where issues of perpetuating the poet's memory and opening a corner of the classic of Belarusian literature were considered.

The author of the article ”Guide to Art“, Honoured Worker of Culture of the BSSR A. Deruga reported and at the same time advertised the publication of the bibliographic reference book ”Belarusian Art " (Minsk: Book Chamber of the BSSR, 1965), compiled by V. N. Dyshinevich. This handbook was published for the first time and contained bibliographic materials on the history of Belarusian fine art, information about the work of individual artists and lists of literature about them, a list of reproductions of their works published in print. It was especially valuable for those who promoted native art in the farthest corners of Belarus.

It was very interesting to read the article ”pages of memory", where Yulia Iosifovna Bibila shared her warm memories of the library and its role in the cultural life of the 20-30s of the IXX century, the work of the local history department and its visitors.

LiM. 1967.  November 5th. p. 3

"Who just did not visit our department in those years! Scientists, workers of literature, culture and art were interested in his work...", the author wrote.

LiM. 1967.  November 5th. p. 3

The department was visited by young poets, ”young and middle-aged", some of the novice writers worked in the library for some time, for example, S. Shushkevich, Ya. Pflyumbaum, Yu. Taubin, Z. Ostapenko and others.

LiM. 1967. November 5th. p. 3

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 from the mentioned resource, you will receive all the news about our library.

The material was prepared by Tatyana Poprotskaya,
Head of the Information and Analytical Department Sector.

Bibliography:

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