Kirovohrad Regional Universal Research Library named after D.I.Chizhevsky is the largest library information complex & scientific center for all libraries in the region.

In February 1999 our library celebrated its centenary. The creation of the institution dates from February 1899, when well-known public fugure Ryabkov initiated its foundation.

In 1920 Elisavetgrad public library was reoganised into state city library. Following the revolution of 1917, the library was renamed after Krupskaya who had presented a large collection of rare and valuable materials. During 1917-1925 the library received large collections of those who fled abroad at the revolution as well as of the closed educational institutions. When Kirovohrad region was founded the library became to serve as an all-region scientific research and information centre,providing guidance in library methodology to the libraries of different systems and institutions.

During World War II the library's bookstock was severely damaged. Many books from library collections were carried off to Germany or destroyed altogether,the library lost about 31000 volumes during the war years. In 1943 our city was liberated and librarians began to restore its stock. In 1946 the library received 10,000 thosand units from Moscow, 5,5 thousand units from other state libraries and more than 500 units as a gift from city residents.

In 1982 the library moved to a modern specially designed building. In 1992 librarians of the institution initiated renaming of the library. And in 1993 the library was renamed after famous scholar D.I.Chizhevsky. The Library's comprehensive collections total over 750 thousand units.

Since 1994 the Library possesses extensive collection of rare books & primary sources:

• the famous Alexander Borisovich Ilyin’s private collection of books which contains 40 manuscripts in ancient Slavonic languages (late XIVth- early XVIth century)

• publications of Ivan Fedorov, Petro Mstislavets, Andrey Nevezha (XVIth century)

• items from private collections of Polish composer Carol Shymanovsky, writer Volodimir Vynnichenko, philosopher & scientist-encyclopedist Dmitryi Chizhevsky, historian Antonin Florovsky and so much more.

Possessing such a cultural value inspired the staff of the library to create “Electronic Book Museum” project on its own Website for storing print materials for long-term survival in digitized form.

Now the library serves 28 thousand readers,lending half a million copies annually. Yearly the library acquires 20 thousand publicationes in UKrainian and in foreign languages Library staff numbers 120 librarians. 15 main departments are established in the library. They provide a full service to library users. The library endeavours to offer every group of visitors the most convenient facilities for their work. This accounts for the system of differentiated service that has been adopted. There is a system of reading rooms and specialized departments that meets readers demands. The utmost attention is given to acquisition and preserving of rarities and country study materials. Their total number has reached more than 37 thousand items.

All grown up residents of the city are eligible for the membership. A person wishing to become a member of the library fills in a form and is given a memmership card which entitles him to use a library for a year.

The library organizes regular exhibitions of new editiones and thematic exhibitions to familiarize readers with new developments in the life of Ukraine and abroad. Regular meetings with writers, scientists, artists, etc., all kinds of club discussions have become a tradition.

We are trying hard to reconstruct our library into a center for storage & sharing information & knowledge with the help of modern equipment & telecommunications that greatly improve our effectiveness & enable us to better serve the society we live in.

Local library network has been set into operation in February 1999. We created Website & our electronic catalog is accessible worldwide. Our users can get online services & completely realize their right to have free access to the world of information resources.

Hours:
Monday –Saturday 10am–7pm

e-mail: omh@library.kr.ua
http://www.library.kr.ua

Address:
#24, K.Marx street
Kirovohrad
25006
Ukraine