Now the role of the book in the life of a modern person has significantly decreased, as well as a respectful attitude to education. It is sometimes difficult to find not just a well-read person, but at least one who openly confesses his love of reading. Moreover, it does not depend on social status. In the upper strata of society they read by no means more than in the lower strata.
There are several reasons for this, and one of them is the poor popularization of books in the media and society. Also, the silent “ridicule” of the image of a well-read young man, which is clearly seen in films and TV shows, plays a significant role in this.
But the situation is not as deplorable as it was in the 90s, today maybe not everyone knows when the day of the librarian is celebrated, but very many people begin to be actively interested in novelties of literature, visiting various bookstores or simply buying an interesting electronic book for them.
The role of reading books in personality formation
Many underestimate the importance of books and the role they play in shaping the character and views of a person. Scientists have long proved that one who loves to read and has read a lot of literature in his life has a much higher level of intelligence than one who does not read at all.
And the point here is not only in the knowledge gained, but in the process itself. This can be explained more clearly with a simple example: when you watch TV, your brain perceives the finished picture, and when you read a novel or scientific literature, the brain itself creates a picture of what is happening. Thus developing the imagination of man.
Another fact that not everyone knows about: reading also develops writing skills, so often those who prefer to spend leisure time behind a book write dictations much better than those who do not. This is one of the reasons why children are given lists of recommended literature for reading during the summer holidays.
Library History
Library business is not new; it has been familiar to mankind since ancient times. You can even say that history came to us thanks to the libraries, it was there that chronicles of events that happened over the centuries of development of civilizations were preserved.
The oldest library today is considered to be located in the city of Nippur, belonging to the Sumerian civilization.
Also, many libraries were in Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, where, however, education was the privilege of free citizens. The librarian’s working day at that time did not end at 5:00 p.m., as today, often people involved in the preservation of books also engaged in copying them. And although it was an honorable, it was by no means an easy task.
One of the largest libraries of the ancient world was considered the Alexandria Library, founded by Alexander the Great himself. It has not reached our days, it was burned during the ancient wars.
In Russia, the first is considered the public library at the St. Sophia Cathedral, which was founded by Yaroslav the Wise in 1037.
In the Middle Ages in Christian countries, libraries were mainly at monasteries and temples, as it was in Russia and in Western Europe.
When was librarian day established
Although today various professional holidays are regularly celebrated, it is not worth believing that it has always been so. Most of these dates have a history no older than a century, and some even less. Among them is the day of the librarian in Russia, established already in modern times.
The basis was a memorable historical date - May 27, 1795, when in the capital of the then Russian Empire, St. Petersburg, by decree of Catherine II, the first library was opened with public access for everyone. And he established this date as the "day of the librarian" B.N. Yeltsin in 1995.
It is worth noting that the building of the first library opened in St. Petersburg is not just preserved, the institution is still functioning. It annually celebrates the day of the librarian, regularly holds meetings with writers and book fairs.
Traditional events
Every year on May 27, all libraries in the country try not only to celebrate a professional holiday, but also to popularize reading books. Of course, larger-scale events are held in large cities, but also in the regional centers, as much as they want, they also try to keep up.
The standard events on librarian's day are:
- meetings of readers with popular writers, where the former are free to ask their questions;
- book fairs with any thematic bias or just with a good discount on books;
- employees who have made a significant contribution to the development of librarianship are awarded with prizes and cash bonuses.
International Day Celebration
Do not confuse the All-Russian Librarian Day with the celebration of this professional holiday in an international format. These are completely different dates, which sometimes people far from the book world do not know.
But nevertheless, there is one circumstance that makes these holidays related - both of them are quite young. International Librarians Day was established at the initiative of UNESCO only in 1999. It is celebrated on October 24 every year, but was truly recognized only in 2008.
It is celebrated with us, albeit not so extensively.
What do libraries lack today?
The number of library visitors today has fallen significantly compared to Soviet times, and there are many reasons for this. Not the least role in this is played by the lag in technical equipment, as well as a fair obsolescence of book editions.
Many libraries have a large part of their collections, published back in Soviet times. And, as you know, time does not add strength to paper publications. This issue is especially relevant in the outback, where libraries are often updated at the expense of amateurs who donate their books to the public.
But a key role in reducing library attendance was played by technology development. Most young people, if they want to read a book, will find and download it on the Internet. Or he listens in audio format, although this method of assimilation of information is considered ineffective!
Of course, it is difficult to regain interest in reading books in paper format quickly, but with the support of the state and the media, people will not only know what date the librarian will be, but also visit libraries on weekdays for the usual purpose.