Collection of rare books
Collection of rare books of the State
library of Ukraine for children began to form in 1981. It was founded by
Cabinet of children's book of the Ukraine Central Scientific Library after
Vernadsky. On decision of the state organizations it was transfered to
our library. About 11 thousand copies of books and periodic publishing
for the children were selected from the collection of Cabinet with the
total number of 70 thousand units of keeping. Lately collection was increased
from exchange-reserve collections of other libraries: Russia State Library
(Moscow), National Library of Russia (Saint-Petersburg), National Parliamentary
Library of Ukraine, History Library of Ukraine, Scientific Library after
Gorky (Odessa), Scientific Library after Korolenko (Kharkov), Regional
Library for Children after Bojchenko (Kiev). Besides, separate books were
bought in antique book-shops, as well as enterred in the collection as
the gift from private citizens and foreign charitable funds.
The books and journals for children
published before 1945 year inclusive as well as the best modern books for
children are concentrated in the collection. The oldest publication in
Ukrainian language in the collection is a book
"Bajky.
Darunok malym ditjam", published in Lviv in 1864; the oldest publication
in Russian language - a book by
A.O.Ishimova "Istorija
Rossii v rasskazah dlia detej" (1837). Among the books published
in Ukrainian and Russian languages in 19 - and
at the beginning 20th centuries it is possible to name the works
by T.Shevchenko, I.Franko, B.Grinchenko, Olena Pchilka,
Lesia Ukrainka, S.Cherkasenko, L.Tolstoj, A.Blok, A.Kuprin, K.Balmont,
K.Stanjukovich, Ch.Dickens, A.Daudet and many other outstanding
writers of the world.
At the beginning of 20th century the Illustrated masterly works by I.Bilibin,
G.Narbut, D.Mitrohin, E.Polenova, P.Lapin attracted an attention.
Among books of this period there are and interesting print samples for the children of Great Britain, Germany,
Poland, USA. For example, first edition of "The Sea-Wolf"
by J.London, works by R.L.Stevenson,
Ch.Dickens,
E.Seton-Tompson, A.Duma; the books illustrated by remarkable artists
K.Greenaway, W.Crane, R.Caldecott.
Collection of children’s book
20-30th years 20 c. is presented sufficiently
widely. This is the first edition of works by N.Zabila,
O.Ivanenko, M.Trublaini, M.Vorony, A.Chajkivsky, M.Jogansen, K.Chukovsky,
S.Marshak, D.Harms, A.Vvedensky,Yu.Vladimirov, O.Mandelshtam and
many, many others; book graphics by S.Kononchuk,
E.Rachov, I.Kisil, B.Kryukov, B.Lebedeva, V.Konashevich, T.Mavrina, M.Dobuzhinsky,
K.Petrov-Vodkin... Among periodic publication of this period in
the first place it is possible to name journals "Severnoje
sijanie", "Jozh", "Chizh".
Although the book of the days
of Great Patriotic War is not so bright
as its predecessors it is not less valuable. During the difficult years
the books and journals for the children continued publishing.
Modern
publishing (60-80th years 20 c.) in the collection are presented
with books which got awards in the field of book drawing and printing on
international and national contests of children's art books. Here it is
possible to get acquainted with books, illustrated by artists of Ukraine,
Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Germany, Great Britain, USA, Japan.