Vologda was first mentioned in chronicles in 1147. The settlement, located 450 km from Moscow, is not only a large city in the north-west of Russia, but also one of the important transport hubs in this region. In addition, it is the administrative and scientific center of the region. Its significance as a center of culture and a city with a special historical and architectural heritage is evidenced by the fact that there are 224 monuments in Vologda, 128 of which are under state protection.
Reading room
A striking indicator of the level of culture of the city is the regional Vologda library. Grandmother, having her own interesting story. Opened officially in 1919 under the name Vologda Soviet Public Library, it was initially filled with volumes of more respectable age. Nationalized private libraries of noble estates, books from two monasteries (Spaso-Sumorin in Totma and Velikoustyuzhsky Mikhailo-Arkhangelsky), local and nearby theological seminaries, gymnasiums, the gendarme administration, church parishes - all of these treasures were inherited by the future Vologda regional library named after Grandma’s. The work of collecting books was carried out so vigorously that the 1,500 volumes that the library had at the time of its opening turned into a well-organized fund of 15,000 copies in half a year. Significant assistance was provided by Petrograd.
True devotees
The work of a team of 12 people was so productive that the library quickly reached the provincial level. The activities of the library staff were ascetic - along with the collection of books, their systematization and compilation of catalogs, the main focus of the work was scientific and educational activities. The library worked from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Initially, the book depository was located in the building of the former Noble Assembly. For the first year of operation, the reading room was visited by 2608 people, up to 50 people daily. And only in 1922 the future regional Vologda library named after Grandmother begins to issue books at home, which significantly expands her audience. Actually, the book depository in the prewar years grew and expanded in the same way as in dozens of regional libraries. Replenishment of funds was primarily due to the literature and periodicals issued in the region. When the library there were directions, which, improving, became independent departments. Like, for example, an information desk or a bibliographic commission. In 1938, the Vologda Oblast was formed, and the library acquired a new status.
Military and postwar exploits
During the war years, the work of the institution was also usual for libraries located in non-occupied territories - it served readers. They were the wounded, who were in hospitals and medical trains, workers of defense enterprises, and residents of the rear. Later, small libraries were allocated from the storehouse and transferred to areas liberated from the invaders. In total, 37 thousand volumes were issued from the funds to form 62 libraries. Immediately after the war, the library receives a second wind - the number of readers is growing steadily, new forms of work regularly appear, the book depository becomes a major scientific center. And the question is about a new room. The question of constructing a typical building for 500 thousand volumes is resolved positively, and in 1963, December 24, the city receives a gift for the New Year 1964: the library is awarded the title of countryman-revolutionary who died in 1906. Since that time, the Regional Vologda Library. Grandmother gets a new status. It becomes a state, scientific, universal profile. It is located at: st. M. Ulyanova, building 1.
Modern stage of development
The next, third stage in the life of the regional book depository began on the day of the celebration of its 80th anniversary, when, by the decision of the governor, the library was presented with a new building that had its own wonderful history. Built at the very beginning of the 20th century in the then modern style, the building within its walls saw and heard performances of both domestic and foreign stars of the first magnitude. Writers, poets, ballerinas, religious figures and orchestras all performed in the building where the regional library is now located. Here, under a new roof, located nearby - st. M. Ulyanova, house 7, moving departments related to media and Internet resources. The beautiful hall of the new building, equipped with modern acoustic facilities, hosts seminars and scientific conferences, exhibitions and presentations, concerts, meetings and literary evenings.
Now the library fund has 1.2 million books. The style of working with readers has changed. Library named after At the present time, with a general increase in the number of readers, Babushkina serves up to 550 thousand virtual visitors a year. There are about 350 thousand real visitors. VOUNB since 1994 - a member of the Russian Library Association, so here in 2009 there was a major forum - the XIV annual RBA conference.
From 1989 to 2012, the Vologda Library was managed by Nelly Nikolaevna Belova. Two Tatyana Nikolaevna - Kryukova and Bukhartseva - are (respectively) her predecessor and successor.