Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library: the day of yesterday and today

The list of the ten largest Russian libraries includes the Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library. CHONB during its existence has made a difficult journey from the free city library-reading room to the modern information center.

ЧОУНБ in figures

• The volume of the library's universal collection is over two million units of storage.
• The annual replenishment of the fund is 27-28 thousand copies of publications.
• The volume of the electronic catalog and other own databases is over 400 thousand records.
• The annual number of users - visitors to the "publicity" site - is over 450 thousand.
• The annual number of visits is 360 thousand people.
• Visitors to public events - more than five thousand people.
• Automated workplaces - over 80.

History of the institution

The foundation year of this oldest library in the Urals is 1898. Two years after its appearance, the volume of its foundation has approached the two thousandth mark. At that time, the library services were mostly used by peasants and petty bourgeoises. Management of activities and replenishment of funds was carried out by the elective council. The library received substantial assistance from the urban intelligentsia: the annual budget was half of her donations.

Among the leaders of the institution was Lidia Nikolaevna Seifullina (later became a famous Soviet writer). During the war years, librarians became the place of work in hospitals, workshops at enterprises.

Since 1963, the Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library has been located on Lenin Avenue, in the very real palace. The project, initiated by the Moscow architect N. Sukoyan, was continued by the young Chelyabinsk graduates of the Moscow Architectural Institute B. Petrov and M. P. Mochalova. According to some researchers, architects have chosen as a model for imitation the Public Library of the American city of Cleveland. Today, the CHONB building is an architectural monument.

Library Foundation

The collection of the library is represented by rare hand-written and printed books. Among them one can name the book "Dioptra" (1612 of the edition) and "Grammatik" Meleti Smotrytsky (1648 edition). The most valuable exhibit is the Ostroh Bible by Ivan Fedorov - the Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library acquired it in its time from the Satka residents (they discovered a book rarity in the things of a deceased grandmother). The year of publication of the book is 1581. At present, about three hundred surviving copies of it are scattered around the world.

The volume of the collection of unique collections is 12 thousand copies. This includes rare handwritten and printed books. In the library you can get acquainted with the books of the pre-revolutionary era, local history literature, periodicals for the last 120 years, a collection of music editions.

Also, the Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library is proud of the remarkable collection of foreign literature. Today, more than 60,000 copies are stored here. Annual replenishment is 300-400 copies of books and periodicals.

The current state of the library

At present, the Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library is the largest book depository in the city, a modern automated information center. This is the place for holding creative meetings, book presentations, meetings in clubs on interests, a leisure center.

To meet the needs of readers, modern information technologies are used. Library processes and operations, such as: acquisition, processing and search of incoming publications - are automated. The electronic catalog in the library was started in 1994. From this time until today, the priority in the activity of the institution is given to informatization and modernization of library processes.

The Internet-hall allows to use domestic and world information funds. External visitors can use electronic resources and services by contacting the official website of the Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library. Photos of the library in different periods of its history are also presented here.

The institution has a leading role in the development of regional library policy. She is the initiator and developer of normative acts in force in her field.

Contact Information

Contact details of the heads of departments contain the section "Cooperation" on the official website of the institution, which is called - "Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library". Address Institutions: Chelyabinsk, Lenin avenue, 60. You can get buses № 4, 18, 64, 123, trolleybuses № 1, 8, 10, 17, 19, 26. Also suitable here are tram routes № 3, 5, 7, 8, 16 and numerous minibuses.