Contemplate this: what began as Catherine the Great’s vision in 1795 has evolved into one of the world’s major libraries right before you, the National Library of Russia. It stands proudly in Saint Petersburg. Known also as NLR, it represents a treasure of national heritage.
Initially named the Imperial Public Library, its purpose was clear. It aimed to comprehensively acquire all national printed works. It also provided free access to its collections. Its location was strategically chosen. It sits at the corner of Nevsky Avenue and Sadovaya Street. This places it at the heart of Russia’s imperial capital.
Catherine the Great laid the foundation for the National Library of Russia. She based it on the Załuski Library. This was a renowned Polish national library. The Russians seized it in 1794 following the Partitions of Poland. Architect Yegor Sokolov designed the building in Neoclassical style. Construction spanned almost fifteen years from 1796 to 1801.
The library’s foreign-language department owes its origins to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It came in the form of Załuski’s Library. This collection had 420000 volumes. Russian soldiers pilfered and sold many volumes for profit. The Russian SFSR returned around 55000 Polish-language books to Poland in 1921.
Emperor Alexander I approved Russia’s first library law in 1810. It stipulated that two legal copies of all printed matter in Russia be deposited in the library. The library was scheduled to open to the public in 1812. Napoleon’s invasion forced a postponement. Valuable collections were evacuated. The inauguration was delayed by two years.
Under Count Alexander Stroganov, the Rossica project took shape. This project involved a vast collection of foreign books about Russia. Stroganov secured invaluable treasures for the library. These included the Ostromir Gospel. It is the earliest book in the Old East Slavic dialect of Church Slavonic. He also acquired the Hypatian Codex of the Russian Primary Chronicle.
The Imperial Public Library officially opened on January 14 1814. Gavrila Derzhavin and Ivan Krylov attended. Aleksey Olenin became the library’s most celebrated director.
Librarianship advanced significantly in the 1850s. The reader community expanded. Gifts of books poured in. Collection growth rates increased fivefold. Vasily Sobolshchikov created the first national manual of library science. It was titled Public Library Facilities and Cataloguing.
From 1849 to 1861, Count Modest von Korff managed the library. He had been Alexander Pushkin’s schoolmate. Korff and his successor, Ivan Delyanov, enriched the library’s collections. They added early New Testament manuscripts. These included the Codex Sinaiticus.
In 1939, the library received the Order of the Red Banner of Labour. It stayed open throughout the Siege of Leningrad. The National Library initiated a large digitization project in the late 20th century.
Today, the National Library of Russia holds over 36 million items. This includes 15 million books. The library also contains archives of Peter I, Catherine II, and Nicholas II. It also houses the collections of Peter Tchaikovsky and Fyodor Chaliapin. All of these items and collections represent an all-Russian center of librarianship.
So, as you stand before this magnificent building, remember its journey. From Catherine the Great’s vision to its current status. The National Library of Russia remains a vital cultural and information center. It is an enduring symbol of Russia’s commitment to knowledge and heritage.