Children libraries

Subject / Archives. Libraries./Libraries
CHILDREN’S LIBRARIES
Before 1917 libraries for children in the Saint Petersburg Gubernia were mainly libraries at secondary public colleges, parish schools, etc. Children formed a substantial (about 60 to 70 per cent) part of the reader audience in public libraries (see: Libraries), the foundation of which started in the early 20th century. The All-Russian Library Congress of 1911 stated that “children simply crowded adults out” of free reading rooms. In 1912 Luga Town had a town children’s library named after N. A. Nekrasov (see: Luga Town Children’s Library). After 1917 uyezd central children’s library were founded, which under the Soviet power were regarded as institutions of ideology. In 1925 children’s uyezd libraries already functioned in Kingisepp (see: Kingisepp Children’s Library), Lodeynoye Pole (see: Lodeynoye Pole Central Children’s Library), Trotsk (Gatchina Town) (see: Gatchina Town Children’s Library). In 1934 Vsevolozhsk Town Children’s Library was founded. All in all before 1941 there were nine children’s libraries in the Leningrad Oblast.
After the Nazi occupation they were restored or reopened. Most of children’s libraries working today were opened in the 1950s – 1960s; the formation of network of special libraries catering for children as separate social group was ended in the 1970s . In 1967 Leningrad Oblast Children’s Library (LODB) was founded for overall methodical guidance over children’s libraries. The libraries and their readers participated in oblast shows and contests: “Kniga v pionerskom otryade” (Books in Young Pioneer Groups), “Pomni: mira ne uznaesh’, ne znaya kraya svoego” (Who Doesn’t Know their Home Land, Will Never Know about the World) (1975 – 1976), “Mir znaniy otkryvaet kniga” (The Book Opens the World of Knowledge) (1982 – 1984). The Volkhov Town, Luga Town and Gatchina Town libraries were at the time the base for innovative method schools for librarians. In 1990s a few libraries develop their own educational programmes: “Detskaya bibioteka – sreda oberezheniya rebyonka” (Chidren’s Library As Environment Created to Protect Children) (Gatchina Town Children’s Library), “Dukhovny landshaft Gatchinskogo rayona dlya detey i ikh roditeley” (The Spiritual Layout of Gatchina District for Children and their Parents) (Vyritsa Urban Settlement Children’s Library), “Detskaya biblioteka – sreda sokhraneniya natsional’noy kul’tury” (Children’s Library as Environment to Preserve National Identity) (Tikhvin Town Central Children’s Library). Some information technologies also took place. The libraries participated in LODB projects “Bazovy modul’ informatizatsii detskoy biblioteki” (The Base Module for Information Technologies in Children’s Libraries), “Informatsionnye resursy dlya detey – obmen, translyatsiya, dostup” (Information Resources for Children: Exchange, Viewing, Access / Accessibility), etc. At present (as of 2005) there are 45 children’s libraries in the Leningrad Oblast, numbering 1, 336, 000 items; every year they are visited by about 110, 000 children at the age of 3 to 15, belonging to different social groups. The libraries aim their activities at reader culture improvement, providing children with access to information, including global networks, as well as assistance in socialization, education and personality development for civil society. Children’s libraries are also home to social design studios for teenagers, literary and regional studies societies, reflective reading workshops, information-and-leisure centres “Sem’ya”, parent clubs, museum sections: “Chitayuschiy kirishanin” (The Reader of Kirishi Town) (Kirishi Town Children’s Library), “Pushkinsky zal” (The Pushkin Room) (Boksitogorsk Town Children’s Library), “Gornitsa – uzornitsa” (The Ornate Chamber) (Tikhvin Town Central Children’s Library). Children’s libraries work in cooperation with culture and educational institutions, children’s homes, social and rehabilitation centres, families with disabled children, and participate in LODB projects. As a result of taking part in projects “Dni voinskoy slavy v Rossii” (The Days of Military Glory in Russia), “V nashey sem’e pomnyat” (Memory Cherished in Our Family), etc. LODB has published collections of work of children from the Leningrad Oblast: “Leningradskaya zemlya: my zdes’ zhivyom” (The Land of Leningrad Oblast, Where We Live) (2002), “ Novoe pokolenie o velikoy pobede” (The New Generation on the Great Victory) (2005). The works of children are presented on the Regional site for children’s libraries developed by LODB. Children’s libraries participate in all-Russian and international international contests and projects.
Y. I. Mozelova. Mozelova, Yadviga Iiosifovna
Historical Toponyms/Saint Petersburg Gubernia, the
Детская библиотека: Традиции. Духовность. Возрождение: Сб. статей и ме-тодических рекомендаций ведущих специалистов ЛОДБ и детских библиотек Ленинград-ской области / ЛОДБ; Сост. Л. В.Степанова. СПБ.,1993
Региональный сайт детских библиотек. URL: http://www.deti.spb.ru
Boksitogorsk Children Library, the
Gatchina Town Children Library, the
Kingisepp Children Library, the
Kirishi Town Children Library, the
Leningrad Oblast Children Library, the
Lodeynoye Pole Central Children Library, the
Luga Town Children Library, the
Tikhvin Central Children Library, the
Volkhov Children Library, the
Vyritsa Children Library, the