Creation of the Theory of Reading: Contribution of Yulia Petrovna Melentyeva

The paper considers contribution of Y.P. Melentyeva to the formation of the general theory of reading and determining the social purpose of library. The author analyses various approaches to the social functions of library, its responsibility to individual and society.

In developing the theory of reading, Y.P. Melentyeva proceeds from the understanding of reading as the essential foundation of civilization, and the library as an institution of socialization of individual. Presenting information on the study of reading in the early 20th century and in the second half of the 20th century, the author characterizes publications by Y.P. Melentyeva devoted to this problem. The book “General Theory of Reading” (2015) includes all the necessary elements of scientific theory and bases on the study of reading as a cultural phenomenon. Encyclopaedic dictionary “Reading” (2021) summarizes the results of the study of reading and outlines prospective problems for further analysis. In the publication, reading is considered as an interdisciplinary concept for philosophy, pedagogy, psychology, book studies, library science, philology, physiology and other sciences.

Y.P. Melentyeva connects the development of theory of reading with the study of problems of library ethics. Under her leadership, there was prepared and adopted in 1999 the first “Code of Professional Ethics of the Russian Librarian”; it was of great importance as a tool for consolidation of the library community in the dynamic controversial period of the domestic history.

Y.P. Melentyeva is the leading specialist in the field of library science; she has made the most significant contribution to the formation of the general theory of reading. Her works are important for the formation of the professional worldview of modern librarians.

1. Melentyeva Yu.P. Obshchaya teoriya chteniya [General Theory of Reading]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 2015, 229 p.

2. Melentyeva Yu.P. O chtenii. Razmyshleniya o teoreticheskikh aspektakh chteniya [About Reading. Reflections on the Theoretical Aspects of Reading]. Moscow, Kanon+ Publ., 2014, 182 p.

3. Melentyeva Yu.P. Bibliotechnoe obsluzhivanie: uchebnik [Library Service: textbook]. Moscow, FAIR Publ., 2006, 251 p.

4. Melentyeva Yu.P. Biblioteka i sotsializatsiya lichnosti: uchebnoe posobie [Library and Socialization of Personality: textbook]. Moscow, 1993, 71 p.

5. On Approval of the Fundamentals of the State Cultural Policy: Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of December 24, 2014, No 808, Sobranie zakonodatel’stva Rossiiskoi Federatsii [Collected Legislation of the Russian Federation], 2014, no. 52, part 1, art. 7753 (in Russ.).

6. On the National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation: Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of July 2, 2021, No 400, Sobranie zakonodatel’stva Rossiiskoi Federatsii [Collected Legislation of the Russian Federation], 2021, no. 27, part 2, art. 5351 (in Russ.).

7. Melentyeva Yu.P. (ed.) Chtenie: entsiklopedicheskii slovar’ [Reading: Encyclopedic Dictionary]. Moscow, 2021, 438 p.

8. Lodygina P.A. Participation of Central Libraries of the Subjects of the Russian Federation in the Organization of Scientific Activity, Bibliotekovedenie [Russian Journal of Library Science], 2021, vol. 70, no. 5, pp. 465—473. DOI: 10.25281/0869-608X-2021-70-5-465-473 (in Russ.).

9. Melentyeva Yu.P. The Phenomenon of Reading: A Search for the Essence, Bibliografiya [Bibliography], 2007, no. 4, pp. 23—29 (in Russ.).

10. Melentyeva Yu.P. Reader Studies in the Context of Socio-Cultural Changes, Grani knizhnoi kul’tury: sbornik nauchnykh trudov k yubileyu Nauchnogo tsentra issledovanii istorii knizhnoi kul’tury [Facets of Book Culture: Collected of Scientific Papers to the Anniversary of the Scientific Center for Studying the History of Book Culture]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 2007, pp. 98—103 (in Russ.).

11. Melentyeva Yu.P. The Concept of “Reading Culture” in the Context of the Russian Cultural Tradition, Rossiiskaya knizhnaya palata — kul’turnaya pamyat’ Otechestva: materialy nauchno-prakticheskoi konferentsii, posvyashchennoi 90-letiyu Rossiiskoi knizhnoi palaty (Moskva, 23 maya 2007 g.) [Russian Book Chamber — Cultural Memory of the Fatherland: Proceedings of the Scientific-Practical Conference Dedicated to the 90th Anniversary of the Russian Book Chamber (Moscow, May 23, 2007)]. Moscow, 2007, pp. 144—147 (in Russ.).

12. Melentyeva Yu.P. The History of Reading Studies in Russia, Bibliografiya [Bibliography], 2007, no. 6, pp. 29—34 (in Russ.).

13. Melentyeva Yu.P. Read in the Everyday Culture. Everyday Reading as a Common Modern Modification of Reading. Problem Setting, Bibliosfera [Bibliosphere], 2014, no. 3, pp. 7—10 (in Russ.).

14. Melentyeva Yu.P. Digital Reading in Teaching and Education, Shkol’naya biblioteka [School Library], 2018, no. 10, pp. 29—33 (in Russ.).

15. Firsov V.R. Gosudarstvennoe zakonodatel’noe regulirovanie deyatel’nosti bibliotek [The State Legislative Regulation of Library Activities]. St. Petersburg, Rossiiskaya Natsional’naya Biblioteka Publ., 2000, 255 p.

16. Firsov V.R. About the Dangers of Reading: Points of View, Bibliotekovedenie [Russian Journal of Library Science], 2008, no. 6, pp. 67—72 (in Russ.).

17. Melentyeva Yu.P. (comp.) Rossiiskoe bibliotekovedenie: XX vek. Napravleniya razvitiya, problemy i itogi [Russian Library Science: 20th Century. Directions of Development, Problems and Results]. Moscow, Fair-Press Publ., Pashkov Dom Publ., 2003, 428 p.

18. Samarin A.Yu. (ed.) Nauchnye issledovaniya v bibliotekakh: tematika, organizatsiya, predstavlenie rezul’tatov: monografiya [Scientific Research in Libraries: Subject, Organization, Presentation of Results: monograph]. Moscow, Pashkov Dom Publ., 2023, 326 p.

19. Trushina I.A. The New Code of Ethics for Russian Librarian, Nauchnye i tekhnicheskie biblioteki [Scientific and Technical Libraries], 2011, no. 9, pp. 25—26 (in Russ.).