National Library
170 Years since Establishment

Recently the National Library of Moldova, the biggest library in this country, celebrated its 170th anniversary. Its fund amounts to 2.5 million books stacked on 50 kilometers of shelves. Over the 170 years of its existence the library has accumulated an exclusive encyclopedic collection that includes traditional documents (books and diskettes) and other sources of information like compact disks and cassettes. Besides books the library fund includes over 4500 magazine names, 2500 newspaper names, and nearly 60 manuscripts dating back to the 18th century. Old books fund has 13 thousand volumes and approximately 2000 periodicals exhibited in over 20 different collections.

Annually 16 to 17 million readers that go over one million storage items visit the National Library. It is attended by 500 readers and signs out three thousand publications daily. Most of its employees have higher education and are very familiar with bibliography and librarianship. They help pick out necessary books and press materials. The National Library has a computer database that contains information on books available in Moldova. The current director general of the library is Alexei Rau who introduced the best library science traditions to Moldova.

The history of the National Library commenced on August 22, 1832 – the date of the establishment of the County Public Library. From the beginning only 477 books and 73 magazines constituted the fund. Gavriil Bilevici, a teacher, was appointed first librarian. The collection of books grew every year with the donations from the citizens of Chisinau and affluent scholars.

In 1902, the administration of Chisinau municipality allocated a new building for the library that had ventilation, steam heating and electricity. In 70 years the fund amounted to 3800 books. From 1918 to 1948 the library was located in the building of the City Government. From 1950 the library begins to receive the National Compulsory Contribution, which increased the collection significantly. In 1961, the Republican State Library moved to where it has been situated ever since. In 1991, its official name changes to that of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova.

Alexei Rau acknowledged that the library had entered a new growth stage. One of its principal goals is complying with the UNESCO principles. Publications that enjoy great popularity in Moldova and abroad are coming out of the press: National Bibliography, National Calendar, Culture in Moldova, Chronic of the Politico-Administrative, Socio-Economic and Cultural Life of Moldova, Librarianship Bulletin, Moldovan Book general catalogue, Librarianship in Moldova: study materials, special periodicals such as Magazin Bibliologic, The Newspaper of the Librarian, exhibitions catalogue. Annually the National Library issues over 30 different publications that comprise over 150 printed pages. Every year it hosts Anul Bibliologic, Bibliographic Values in National Cultural Patriotism seminars, and the National Directors Seminar.

Very popular among the members of the library are the National Book Salon, Moldovan Diaspora Abroad, Music Salon, Art Salon, and Literature Club Miorita. Monthly in cooperation with embassies and art unions it organizes exhibitions assuming the role of a major cultural center. The 170th anniversary of the National Library was a truly national celebration arranged and coordinated by the Ministry of Culture and Education, the government of Chisinau, Moldova Teleradio, the Union of Writers and other public organizations.

The celebration commenced on August 31 at the opening of artist Valentina Brincoveanu exposition. An exhibition on the history of the National Library in documents and photographs was held in cooperation with the National Archives. Jubilee envelops and stamps as well as medals and badges were released.

The second day of the celebration began with the International Forum on National Libraries in the Context of Globalization and New Technology attended by specialists from Romania, Poland, Belarus and other countries. The National Library keeps in possession over 12 thousand books that date back to the 16-18th centuries in Romanian, Italian, French, English, and German and world accepted publication of well-known writers, some of them with autographs, books of all sizes, paperbacks and hard covers. Among the treasures of the library are the manuscript of the Archangel Evangeline (published in the 18th century, the manuscript dating back to 1092), Scara lui Ioan Sinaitul (The Ladder of Ioan Sianitul) – a manuscript of the 18th century, written by a monk from Dobruja monastery, the first book published in Moldova in 1643 Cazania lui Varlaam and reprinted in Romanian by the famous publisher Mikhail Strilbitski in Rimnik in 1792, Cantemiriada – a collection of books written by the great Moldovan ruler and scientist Dimitrie Cantemir – with his original of The Description of Moldova published in 1791 in Romanian and German. All of these are carefully looked after in the National Library.

On September 1 the National Library held the opening of another art exhibition with works by Cezara Colesnic. The conference of librarians from all parts of Moldova took place on the same day: it included the 10th presentation of Magazin Bibliologic, and the bibliographical publication by Tamara Isac. The National Library organized an award ceremony on September 2 with the following nominations: best book of the year, best artist-illustrator of the year, best debut, and others.

September 3 was marked with a celebration on the occasion of 100 years since the construction of the library building culminating in a presentation of a whole gallery of historical personalities that contributed to the development of the library. Presentations on the history of the building were made at a scientific symposium. German writer Katarina Haker brought her new book to the judgment of university students and professors. The next day a presentation of two volumes of Basarabenii in Lume took place. Mihai Cimpoi, the founder of Miorita Literature Club and Chairman of the Union of Writers of Moldova, welcomed all visitors to participate in a meeting dedicated to the presentation of a bibliography Vasile Alecsandri. New Silvia Hodorojea’s film Mihai Cimpoi devoted to the 60th anniversary of the author was also premiered on September 4.

Alexei Rau presented his new book Ochiul din oglinda paginii (Ulysse, 2002) (A Look from the Mirror of Pages) on September 5 in Petru Movila Publishing House. Rau announced the closing of the celebration and called upon all librarians of Moldova to continue to work hard for the benefit of the country despite low pay. “Our National Library is the heart of the entire library system of Moldova”, he said. “It governs the methodical and scientific work of all public libraries. Walking together with everybody else through the 21st century on the way to introducing computer technology the National Library remains to be the most revered among Moldovan readers”.

Ludmila Mamaliga
Translated by Natalia Corobco