Development of the Main Library of the Republic of Mari El: Unique Publication and Source Finds

The analysis is presented of T.A. Petrova’s book “The Main Library of the Republic: the Time of Formation. 1918—1936” (2022). The book is a study of the almost unexplored period of the history of the National Library named after S.G. Chavain of the Mari El Republic. 1918—1936 is the period of radical changes in society and approval of new principles of library organization. On the wide material of documentary sources from state, departmental and personal archives the basic marks of the library’s development are shown: the features of library work organization, formation of book stock, methods and forms of work with readers. The history of the library is illustrated with the facts and data about the people working there at that time.

The book is announced as a historical and archival research, well thought out and appropriate to the content structure, attracts with its logic, clarity and simplicity of narration. Each of three main parts is a separate historical, biographical and librarian sketch of different stages of library’s development, chronologically almost entirely coinciding with the tenure of M.A. Chernova, I.E. Pavlov, A.R. Kavush as heads of the library.

The detailed work by T.A. Petrova gives a full and complete picture of the development of the main library of the republic during the first years of Mari Autonomous Region existence. The book contains new and earlier unknown to science materials.

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