Karoyeva Tetiana

Tactics of books acquisition for public libraries of Right-Bank Ukraine before introduction of library censorship (1866–1884)

Section: Studies in Special Historical Disciplines

Abstract: The purpose of the research was to clear out the practice of books acquisition for public libraries of Right-Bank Ukraine used by acquisition officers within the period when the state library policy was freely interpreted by them prior to introduction of censorship restrictions. Methodology. Catalogues of those public libraries were the basis of the research source base. Scientific novelty. Political, economical and cultural factors affected the tactics of books acquisition for public libraries have been clarified. The political factors include the task of russification of the local population that was the basis of public libraries existence; as well as taking into account changes in the domestic policy of the Russian Empire including changes in attitude towards certain ethnic communities and social movements. The economical factors include competition with commercial private libraries and the need of attracting the widest possible readership to improve the financial budget of libraries. The cultural factors include the functions performed by libraries as the means of imparting culture and dissemination of education. The influence exerted by the mentioned factors on technical and content aspects of tactics of books acquisition has been outlined. The practice of acquisition of fiction books for library stocks prior to introduction of censorship of public libraries has been clarified. Several myths have been debunked including those about disregard of readers’ requests and lack of Ukrainian-language publications in the library stocks. The attention is mainly paid to acquisition officers and the representation of the literary process in library stocks taking into account ethnic and socio-political needs. Conclusions. Public libraries of Right-Bank Ukraine have fulfilled their main function of involvement of readers in Russian cultural and informational space even prior to introduction of library stocks censorship. Until the time when the state had developed clear requirements related to public libraries, acquisition officers acted as typical representatives of the intelligentsia, who should promote progress and sympathize with the dissemination of knowledge. Nevertheless, despite the enlightening rhetoric about the educational function of libraries, the economic factor forced acquisition officers to follow the tastes of readers acquiring entertaining reading matter.

Keywords: public library, library stocks, acquisition, censorship, russification, Right-Bank Ukraine.

  Full-text PDF    https://doi.org/10.15407/rksu.27.221     Citation

• Karoyeva Tetiana (Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University (Vinnytsia, Ukraine), urasim@i.ua) ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5012-9513

Cite:
Karoyeva Tetiana (2021). Tactics of books acquisition for public libraries of Right-Bank Ukraine before introduction of library censorship (1866–1884). Manuscript and book heritage of Ukraine, (27) 221-238. (In Ukrainan). doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/rksu.27.221

References:

1. Setsinskii E. Gorod Kamenets-Podolskii: istoricheskii ocherk [The town of Kamenets-Podolsky: historical essay]. Kiev, 1895. VIII, 247 p. [In Russian].
2. Mishchuk S., Pryimak I. Zhytomyrska publichna biblioteka: zasnuvannia ta istoriia stanovlennia (za materialamy chasopysu “Volynskie gubernskie vedomosti”) [Zhytomyr Public Library: foundation and history of formation (according to materials published in "Volynskie Gubiernskie Viedomosti" newspaper)]. Bibliotechnyi visnyk [Library bulletin]. 2016. No. 4, pp. 32–36. [In Ukrainian].
3. Pryimak I. M. Knyzhkovyi fond ta chytachi Zhytomyrskoi publichnoi biblioteky (1866–1910 rr.) [The book stock and the readers of Zhytomyr Public Library (1866–1910)]. Rukopysna ta knyzhkova spadshchyna Ukrainy [Manuscript and Book Heritage of Ukraine]. 2014. Iss. 18, pp. 267–277. [In Ukrainian].
4. Eadem. Zhytomyrska publichna biblioteka: istoriia stvorennia [Zhytomyr Public Library: history of creation]. Naukovi pratsi Natsionalnoi biblioteky Ukrainy im. V. I. Vernadskoho [Academic Papers of V. I. Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine]. 2013. Iss. 35, pp. 567–571. [In Ukrainian].
5. Aivazian O., Prokopchuk V. Biblioteky Podillia (druha polovyna XIX – pochatok XX st.) [Libraries of Podillia Province (second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries)]. Kamianets-Podilskyi, 2016. 256 p. [In Ukrainian].
6. Malyi V. V., Komarnytskyi O. B. Kamianets-Podilska rosiiska publichna biblioteka (1866–1890 rr.) [Kamianets-Podilskyi Russian Public Library (1866–1890)]. Osvita, nauka i kultura na Podilli [Education, Science and Culture in Podillia Province]. Kamianets-Podilskyi, 2004. Vol. 4, pp. 171–182. [In Ukrainian].
7. Hapchenko P. B., Zvorskyi S. L., Liubarenko L. M., Mastypan O. O. Litopys Natsionalnoi parlamentskoi biblioteky Ukrainy. Ch. 1: 1866 – liutyi 1917 r. [Chronicle of the National Parliamentary Library of Ukraine. Pt. 1: 1866 – February 1917]. Kyiv, 1996. 137 p. [In Ukrainian].
8. Volynets A. A. Stanovlennia ta rozvytok merezhi publichnykh bibliotek Ukrainy (XIX – pochatok XX stolittia) [Formation and development of public libraries network in Ukraine (19th – early 20th centuries] (Candidate’s thesis). Kyiv, 1998. 199 p. [In Ukrainian].
9. Sokolov V. Osoblyvosti evoliutsii publichnykh bibliotek u hubernskykh mistakh v Ukraini u XIX – na pochatku XX st. [Specific features of public libraries evolution in provincial cities of Ukraine in the 19th – early 20th centuries]. Bibliotechnyi visnyk [Library bulletin]. 2019. No. 3, pp. 13–24. [In Ukrainian]. doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/bv2019.03.013
10. Sistematicheskii katalog knigam Zhitomirskoi russkoi publichnoi biblioteki, sostavlen v 1869 g., s prilozheniem Pervogo dopolneniia k katalogu i azbuchnogo ukazatelia imen avtorov [Systematic catalogue of books of Zhitomir Russian Public Library: compiled in 1869, with the attachment of the First supplement to the catalogue and the alphabetical index of authors' names]. Zhitomir, 1870. 120 p. [In Russian].
11. Vtoroe dopolnenie k Sistematicheskomu katalogu knig Zhitomirskoi russkoi publichnoi biblioteki, s prilozheniem azbuchnogo ukazatelia imen avtorov: sostavleno v 1872 g. [The second supplement to the Systematic Catalogue of books of Zhitomir Russian Public Library with the attachment of the alphabetical index of authors' names: compiled in 1872]. Zhitomir, 1872. 44 p. [In Russian].
12. Trete dopolnenie k Sistematicheskomu katalogu knig Zhitomirskoi russkoi publichnoi biblioteki, s prilozheniem azbuchnogo ukazatelia imen avtorov i sochineniiam [The third supplement to the Systematic Catalogue of books of Zhitomir Russian Public Library with the attachment of the alphabetical index of authors' names and titles of their works]. Zhitomir, 1879. 101 p. [In Russian].
13. Katalog knig i periodicheskikh izdanii Kamenets-Podolskoi russkoi publichnoi biblioteki [Catalogue of books and periodicals of Kamenets-Podolsky Russian Public Library]. Kamenets-Podolsky, 1877. 72 p. [In Russian].
14. Katalog knig i periodicheskikh izdanii Kamenets-Podolskoi russkoi publichnoi biblioteki [Catalogue of books and periodicals of Kamenets-Podolsky Russian Public Library]. Kamenets-Podolsky, 1882. III, 117, 46 p. [In Russian].
15. Katalog knig i periodicheskikh izdanii Kamenets-Podolskoi russkoi publichnoi biblioteki [Catalogue of books and periodicals of Kamenets-Podolsky Russian Public Library]. Kamenets-Podolsky, 1885. 148 p. [In Russian].
16. Katalog knig Kievskoi russkoi publichnoi biblioteki [Catalogue of books of Kiev Russian Public Library]. Kiev, 1870. 76 p. [In Russian].
17. Katalog Kievskoi gorodskoi publichnoi biblioteki, 1866–1903 gg. [Catalogue of books of Kiev City Public Library, 1866–1903]. Kiev, 1904. III, 1074, IV p. [In Russian].
18. Botsianovskii V. Publichnaia biblioteka v Zhitomire: (po povodu ee 25-letiia) [Public library located in the town of Zhitomir: (on the occasion of its 25th anniversary)]. Kievskaia starina [Kiev antiquity]. 1891. Vol. 34, August, pp. 254–283. [In Russian].
19. Rudchenko I. Ya. Desiat let Zhitomirskoi russkoi publichnoi biblioteki: 1866–1876 [Ten years of activity of Zhitomir Russian Public Library: 1866–1876]. Zhitomir, 1876. 55 p. [In Russian].
20. Mikhalevich I. K. Dvadtsatipiatiletie Kamenets-Podolskoi publichnoi russkoi biblioteki [The 25th anniversary of Kamenets-Podolsky Russian Public Library]. Kamenets-Podolsky, 1891. 54 p. [In Russian].
21. Khoptiar Yu. A. Rozvytok bibliotechnoi spravy v Podilskii hubernii (70-ti rr. XIX – pochatku XX st.) [Development of library science in Podilla Province (the 70s of the 19th – beginning of the 20th century)]. Naukovi pratsi Kamianets-Podilskoho universytetu. Istorychni nauky [Scientific works of Kamianets-Podilskyi University. Historical sciences]. Kamianets-Podilskyi, 2001. Vol. 5 (7), pp. 310–317. [In Ukrainian].
22. Katalog knig i periodicheskikh izdanii Kamenets-Podolskoi russkoi publichnoi biblioteki [Catalogue of books and periodicals of Kamenets-Podolsky Russian Public Library]. Kamenets-Podolsky, 1893. 222 p. [In Russian].
23. Khronologichesko-sistematicheskii katalog knigam Zhitomirskoi russkoi publichnoi biblioteki: sostavlen v 1884 i 1885 gg. [Chronological and systematic cataloge of books of Zhitomir Russian Public Library compiled in 1884 and 1885]. Zhitomir, 1886. [2], IV, 435 p. [In Russian].
24. Lisevych I. T. U zatinku dvohlavoho orla (polska natsionalna menshyna na Naddniprianskii Ukraini v druhii polovyni XIX – na pochatku XX st.) [In the shadow of a double-headed eagle (Polish national minority in Naddniprianska Ukraine in the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries)]. Kyiv, 1993. 86 p. [In Ukrainian].
25. Reitblat A. Ot Bovy k Balmontu i drugie raboty po istoricheskoi sotsiologii russkoi literatury [From Bova to Balmont and other works on the historical sociology of Russian literature]. Moscow, 2009. 448 p. [In Russian].
26. Fond 228. Inventory 1. Unit 6083. 206 sh. Derzhavnyi arkhiv Khmelnytskoi oblasti [State Archives of Khmelnytskyi Region].
27. Pryshchepa O. P. “Mistsia zustrichi”: kulturne dovkillia mist Pravoberezhnoi Ukrainy (kinets XVIII – pochatok XX st.) ["The meeting places": cultural environment of the towns of the Right-Bank Ukraine (late 18th – early 20th centuries.)]. Rivne, 2019. 688 p. [In Ukrainian].