The history of the formation of the Department of Rare Books at the Tambov Regional Universal Scientific Library named after A.S. Pushkin is described. The detailed description of the stages of formation of the Collection of the Department, the methodology of its study, the attribution of single copies, and the principles of separation of book collections is provided. It is revealed the quantitative and thematic composition of the owners’ collections, formed in the Department, presented the examples of valuable books, including the books of “Peter the Great” period, the firsts of the Tambov printing, and traced the history of bibliophily in the Tambov region. Information about the founder and the first Head of the Department of rare books A.I. Sapogov, who devoted his career to identification, study, and description of rare and valuable books, is provided, and his method of formation of the collection of G.R. Derzhavin is described. It is reported on the current work of the Department of rare books, on the Acquisition profile, composition and structure of the Collection, and on the preservation measures. There are summarized the activities of the Regional Centre for the work with book monuments of the Tambov region as the methodical centre for the institutions - holders of the literary monuments. Scientific research work, project and educational activities of the Department of rare books are demonstrated. There is described the work on creating printed catalogues of the rare books, separate book collections, union catalogues of book monuments, and electronic catalogue of rare editions.