Short history of RPL P. R. Slaveykov“

"Petko R. Slaveykov" Regional Public Library - Veliko Tarnovo was originally created as the third book depository for the country (after the National Library in Sofia and the National Library in Plovdiv). It was founded in 1889 as the first public library in the town of Veliko Tarnovo with its own statute and regulations based on the "Rules of the “Razvitie” Company" and the Regulations to it, which regulate matters of maintenance, the selection of management, purchasing, use and maintaining the book fund. The main core of the book fund is the books from the municipality of Veliko Tarnovo and the men's high school "St. Cyril". Fiction and popular science literature, mostly printed by local publishing houses and printing houses, was purchased. After the legalization of the library on July 11, 1920, it began to receive one free deposit copy from the entire Bulgarian printing industry. Together with partial donations, these are the only ones receipts up to September 9, 1944.

On August 15, 1922, the third Bulgarian National Library in Veliko Tarnovo was opened in the building of the "Angel Popov" Board of trustees. Mosko Moskov was appointed director - archaeologist, literary critic, historian, linguist, realized professionally as a teacher, librarian, tourist activist and public figure. During the entire period in which he was director of the library, he worked tirelessly to make it a stable cultural institution. In November of the same year, a reading room was opened in the library.

After the departure of Mosko Moskov in 1932, Dimitar Tsonchev and Asen Hristov held the post of seconded director for a short time. On July 27, 1933, Pencho Krusev was appointed "first permanent librarian" (director). He created the country's first local history file, including about 20,000 handwritten sheets with publications about Veliko Tarnovo. During his time, the construction of a library building began the "First Yearbook of the Public Library in Veliko Tarnovo" was published. Year 1941 Report and History of the Library 1922-1942. In August 1944, at the age of 57 and after 11 years as director of the library, Pencho Krusev died. The new director, Ivan Penchev, establish free access to the funds of the city community libraries.

 In 1954, the library moved to a new building - the only building in the country built specifically for the needs of a library with a seven-story book depository. There are Loans for Adults, Children's Department, Registration, Processing and Catalogues, Reference and Methodical Department.

 On March 20, 1958, the name of the library was approved in the District Library - "Petko Rachev Slaveykov". During the administration of director Valcho Sariev, the "Art" department was separated.

In 1971, the library was awarded the Order of "Cyril and Methodius" 1-st degree on the occasion of 50 years since its creation, the jubilee collection "Fifty Years in the Service of the People" was presented. In 1974, Diana Sultova was appointed director, and under her management, the library developed active international activities.

In January 1988, Dimo Minchev was appointed director. During his administration, on May 20, 1994, a new branch was opened in the "Buzludzha" district with a lending and reading room for adults, a children's department with a study room and a storage room, where the deposited fiction after 1944 was transferred for storage and all foreign newspapers and magazines. In November 1989, in connection with the celebration of 100 years since the foundation of the first state library in V. Tarnovo, a bas-relief of P. R. Slaveikov, the work of the sculptor Konstantin Denev and arch. Lachezar Lalev was placed in front of the library entrance.

After a competition for the director of the library was held on August 16, 2000, the position was filled by Ivan Alexandrov. Kalina Ivanova was appointed deputy director. An important priority of the library management is the renewal of computer systems and the active use of information technologies in current work.

Public Library "P. R. Slaveykov" is a methodological center for 150 public libraries in the territory of Veliko Tarnovo region. Today, the library has a universal fund of 600,000 volumes of literature in book and digital media, with which it serves 10,000 readers annually, participates in international cultural educational programs and projects, cooperates with public organizations and associations, and corresponds with leading public libraries.

 References:

Ivanova, Kalina. History and modernity of the Veliko Tarnovo Public Library "P. R. Slaveykov". – V. Tarnovo: Publ. libr. P. R. Slaveykov, 2014.

Ivanova, Kalina. From the first steps to today: Chronicle of the Public Library "P. R. Slaveykov" - Veliko Tarnovo. - V. Tarnovo: Publ. libr. P. R. Slaveykov, 2013.

Public Library "P. R. Slaveykov" Veliko Tarnovo / Comp. Kalina Ivanova. – V. Tarnovo.

Alexandrov, Ivan. Culture and memory: 120 years since the creation of the Public Library "P. R. Slaveykov" – V. Tarnovo. - V. Tarnovo: Publ. libr. P. R. Slaveykov, 2010.

Handbook of the Regional Library "P. R. Slaveykov" – V. Tarnovo. – V. Tarnovo, 1968.