Kazan
and National Library of Tatarstan Republic
(historical
and present aspects)
R.I.Valeev,
R.U.BÁgÁeva
National Library of Tatarstan Republic
33, Kremlevskaya, Kazan, 420111, Russia
The
National Library of the Republic of Tatarstan celebrated its
140-year-Anniversary. The history of library is inseparably linked with the
history of Kazan city [1].
According to the latest archeological data
Kazan was founded on the verge of IX-X centuries as a merchant and defensive centre in northern remote area of the Volga
Bulgaria - the largest medieval country of the Eastern Europe. S.Alishev points
out that there was an elementary school in Bulgaria [2]. A man who adopted
Islam was supposed to read Koran and other books. Thus, a considerable part of
common people could read. There were scientists in the country: lawyers,
historians, philosophers, doctors, theologians and poets. The greatest written
monument of the pre-Mongolian period of the Bulgars is poem <ëyssÁi-and-Yusuf>
by ëul GÁli, that was widely spread among the Bulgars, and later among Tatar
people. Up to present days this poem taught love and devotion to the
Motherland.
Descriptions of morals and manners of the Bulgars made by Arab traveler
Ibn Fadlan reveal high culture. Stamping of coins, gravestones with
inscriptions, poems, songs and bayits were found only there. Scientists
consider that libraries on the territory of Tatarstan appeared in the XVI
century and even in earlier times [3].
The
new period in the history of the Bulgars is linked with the foundation of the
Golden Horde. Remnants of material culture testify to a really high level of
craft and arts development in cities of the Golden Horde: building and
architecture, jeweler's art, ferrous and
non-ferrous metallurgy, tanning, ceramics, bone carving,š glass-making,
stone carving, etc.š
From
the other part, Islam adoption stimulated the development of cities and urban
culture, it caused the spreading of Arabic alphabet and written literature.
Remarkable works of Firdousi and RudÁki (the X century), ál-MÁÁri
and ïmar KhÁyam (the XI century), áttÁrÁ and
NizÁmi (the XII century), Rumi and SÁÁdi (the XIII century) of
many other famous poets of the East were widespread in the Golden Horde. Works
of great wise men and poets of the East, and above all of the representatives
of Persian-Tajik poetry enjoyed wide popularity among Tatar people, both of
following periods, and of the times of the Golden Horde. Moreover, they
inspired the Tatar poets to create their own Golden Horde literature that
gained an advanced stage of development in the XIV century - in times of Ulus
Juchi might. Exactly in this period there were written such priceless monuments
of medieval Tatar literature as poem
Kazan Khanate was the successor of cultural heritage of the Great
Bulgars and the Golden Horde. Culture of this country developed together with
ethnogenic process. Research worker R.K.Ganeeva calls the culture of the Kazan
Tatars
Written
language based on Arabic alphabet, that appeared in the region in early periods
of the Volga Bulgaria in the X-XI centuries and that was the basis of reading
and writing in the Golden Horde, gained relevantly wide popularity. Literacy
was necessary, first of all, for representatives of the administration and
clergy, but it was also popular among common people. Official documents of
foreign political character, commercial documents, labels, and epitaphs,
letters, poems were written in Arabic alphabet. The height of the poetic
heritage of Kazan Khanate was creative work of Mukhammedyar, who preached in
his poems <ôukhvai-mÁrdÁn> (
In 1552 Ivan IV conquered Kazan and annexed
Kazan Khanate to Russian state. At unease time of the XVI-XVII centuries there
were built defensive installations of the Kazan Kremlin. Despite social and
political changes, Kazan and Kazan region remain the trading centre, thereby
retaining and reinforcing typical for earlier times function of
Specialists
think that
Despite
written literature, also folklore developed. Origin of legends and stories
about appearance of the old and new Kazan is, apparently, linked with this
period. Literary critics refer to this period such works of epic character as <álpÁmysh>,
Radical turn in the history of nationality and in fate
of the Kazan Tatars is linked with the events of the middle of the XVI century,
when Tatar people started living in the part of Russian state. Here ends the
formation of fundamentals of national culture. Such elements of culture as language,
religion, traditions play important part in preserving of national
individuality. After Kazan was conquered, Tatar people played a special role in
development of Russian state, in formation of links with the East, they held a
firm large place in military class, and continued to play an active part as
representatives of the ethnos with developed traditions of nationality.
However, right up till present days religious criteria predominated in
spiritual life of the empire. Non-Christian people in the hierarchy of clerical
ranks were regarded as the inferior.
One
of the forms of national self-affirmation for Kazan Tatars, having by the
middle of the XVII century existing system of cultural and national values,
became fidelity to educational standards in subsequent centuries. Tatar people
considered that their language, culture and national awareness should develop
through education.
Koran
study stimulated mass joining to learning reading and writing. Numerous
manuscripts testify to spreading of book culture. In Tatar outskirts of town
children education was carried out in mekteb and madrasah, which also housed small libraries.
In
1758 the First Kazan gymnasium opened, where Russian children studied the Tatar
language, and Tatar children - Russian. The first teacher of the Tatar language
was Sagit Khalfin. The First Kazan gymnasium gave many outstanding figures,
thinkers, poets, scientists to our domestic culture. It became the centre of
the development and spreading of knowledge and cultural achievements of people.
In the XIX century school-books, ABC-books, reading books, programs, methodic
works for learning the Tatar language appeared.š Scientific and enlightening societies also played a special role
in cultural life of the people. Before the Revolution Tatar people were on the
first place in Russia according to number of published books per head [6].
Tatar
libraries after the conquest of Kazan, just the same way as people, were in
poor state. Apart from time factor and frequent fires, written monuments and libraries
were exposed to missionary raids [7]. Apart
from mosques there were destroyed also
works of literature that had been accumulated over several centuries. Not only tens of thousands of manuscripts gathered in libraries and archives of
educational establishments, but also various sources testify to an active
process of functioning of hand-written books of Tatar people.
In
the XVIII century Russian culture developed under the influence of Peter
changes and their consequences. The main peculiarity was the change-over to
secular and European culture that contemporized with the Age of Enlightenment.
Qualitative leap was made in education; domestic science was formed,
literature, art and architecture flourished, public theatres, periodical press
and periodicals appeared. Changes in culture of the region were not so
significant, but at the same time there were changes for the better. Cultural
life of the region was marked by new facts. Cultural relations between the
Tatar and the Russian people intensified.
Having lost their nationality, Tatar people and their culture found
themselves in a new historic situation. The country that determined culture
development ceased to exist. Power, influence and quantity of feudal class of
Tatar people roughly reduced. It disengaged itself forcedly from cultural
development, and ceased to be the main consumer of cultural values. The
expulsions of Tatar people from cities lead to the fact that they lost their
urban stratum and culture. Negative influence on the Tatar culture was made by
policy of Christianization. In XVIII century Kazan became the third city in
Russian as per number of population. In 1708 it became the centre of the vast
province. Since Peter I visited Kazan, manufactures and ship dockyards started
to work, convoy of ships sailed down the Volga River. Russian empress Katherine
II granted Moslems religious freedom and free trade, she approved the first
general plan of the city and allowed to build mosques.
Momentous
event of this stage of cultural development is the start of the Tatar
book-printing in Arabic script on the basis of Russian book-printing. In 1711
the first Tatar xylographic book "Manifest" was published.š "Manifest" book published in 1722 in mobile
printing works of Peter I [8] is considered to be the beginning of Tatar script
book-printing on the basis of Arabic graphics. Reforms of Peter I bought new
features into Tatar culture and the public thought at the end of XVIII century.
Moslem educational part of Tatar public became interested in secular sciences,
literature, and enlightenment. New cultural needs were revealed in works by
G.Utyz Imyani (1756-1834), ô.Yalchygul (1768-1838), G.ëursÁvi
(1776-1812). They called their contemporaries upon to acquire secular
knowledge, practical sciences, Russian language as an instrument of their
acquiring. Research worker of the second half of the XVIII century I.G.Georgy
emphasized commonness that Tatar people possess in all kinds of collections of
historical and other works, i.d. of private libraries [9]. Important role in
their organization played Moslem clergy and a part of the Kazan merchants.
Tatar
enlightenment started to form at the end of the XVIII century. Enlightener
ideas were reflected in works of G.Kursavi, Utyz Imyani. Creative works of Utyz
Imyani are a bright evidence of the change-over of Tatar literature from
religious-didactic to social, moral and ethical problems, democratization of
the language, form and style of works. At the end of XVIII century a new genre
began to form in Tatar language -
In accordance with the approved city
development plan, at the beginning of XIX century Kazan began to look as a true
capital of the province. With the opening of the first educational
institutions: gymnasia, theological seminaries, the culture of Kazan strikingly
changed. Foundation of the first higher educational institutions was of great
importance for the development of enlightenment and culture of the whole Volga
region. Wide network of Moslem educational institutions contributed to the
increase of the general level of literacy. In X century there appeared first
madrasah (Arabic - madrasah, place of teaching), where education was carried
out in the form of lesson, conversation, dispute, study and memorizing of Koran
and other theological books. The following subjects were taught in madrasah:
Moslem right, fundamentals of Islam philosophy, logics, study of khadis,
calligraphy, Arabic and Persian languages.
The
first in the Volga region and the third in Russia the Kazan University was
founded in 1804, that played an important role in the development of science
and enlightenment in the region. Such names as N.I.Lobachevsky, I.M.Simonov,
N.N.Zinin, I.N.Berezin, O.M.Kovalevsky, Kh.F.Fren, A.K.Kazembek, K.F.Fux and
other are concerned with this University. Later there appeared several
scientific societies on the territory of the University. Of great significance
for the development of the region was origination of publishing and periodical
press. In 1801 Asian printing-office was opened in Kazan. Such periodicals as
"Kazansky Vestnik", "Zavoljsky Muravey", "Kazanskiye izvestiya", etc found
their readers. In the first half of the XIX century Kazan was on the third
place in Russia after Moscow and Saint-Petersburg according to number of
published books. At the end of the XIX century there were 15 printing-houses,
every year 140-180 Tatar books with total run of 1,5-2 mln. copies were
published. Themes of Tatar books were various: pedagogic, medicine,
jurisprudence, history, natural sciences, religion, philosophical and
historical works of the Moslem East thinkers, dictionaries, manuals for self-tuition.
From the second half of the XIX century there
appeared madrasah in which apart from religion also the following secular
subjects were taught: mathematics, physics, astronomy, hygiene (with elements
of medicine), ethics and psychology, geography and history. Education as a rule
was divided into 4 stages: elementary (ibtidaya), average (rushdiya), above the
average (igdadiya), high (galliya). The largest madrasah such as
Thus,
Kazan in the second half of the XIX century was one of the largest Russian
centres of science and education. Imperial University, Theological academy,
Pedagogical and Veterinary institutes, secondary educational establishments,
that prepared specialists for the wide educational region of the (Kazan)
empire, scientific and enlightener societies, large number of periodicals,
published in different years, - all that, undoubtedly, contributed to the
development of book publishing and spreading of the printed word; organizing of
libraries.
In the XIX century the following libraries of
educational institutions worked in Kazan:
the library of Theological academy which was opened in 1808, the libraryš of the Kazan University - in 1804, the
library of the Provincial Gymnasium- in 1835, the library of the Kazan
Kseninskaya women's gymnasium- in 1859, the library of the Kazan Mariinskaya
women's gymnasium - in 1859, the library of the Veterinary institute - in 1874,
and mektab and madrasah libraries. There were 13 large private libraries; these
were the libraries of the inspector of popular schools of Kazan educational
district I.á.Sakharov, the nobleman I.á.Shidlovsky, the Doctor of
medical sciences N.Soloviev, the architect S.Solntsev, the retired investigator
N.Stepanov. In Menzelinsky uyezd there was a library belonging to the merchants
Stakheevs. The owners of large book collections were, as in previous centuries,
attendants of Moslem cult. Many mullas allowed using libraries by laymen more
or less freely. Special libraries for Tatarstan public opened in the 60s of the
XIX century. In 1908 24 free public libraries were founded in Kazan, among them
the most well-known was the library of religious and public figure G.í.Galeev-Barudi
containing works in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Tatar and Russian languages [10].
The
National library was opened in 1865 as a city public library. The basis of its
collection was the collection of famous bibliophile and student of local lore
Ivan Alekeevitch Vtorov, this collection originally numbered 903 titles and
1908 volumes of books and periodicals, with rich collections of the French
classics, works of Russian folklore, especially of collections of Russian
periodicals of the CUIII and CIC centuries.
A
son of I.á.Vtorov - Nikolai Ivanovitch Vtorov, famous scientists andš literary man, archaeologist and
ethnographer, after the death of his father in 1844, presented his collection
to Kazan city with the purpose to organize public library. But Kazan city
public library opened its doors only on 10 (24) January, 1865.
In
the same year the position of the library curator, established by the
resolution of the City Community, was offered to professor of the Kazan
University Nikolai Nikititch Bulitch. In 1877 the title of the library curator
was cancelled, as there was a Higher Command about the administration of city
libraries through a special Committee. Its chairman was the City head, and its
members were gymnasium director, theological seminary Rector.
On January 2, 1906, "a branch" of the Public
Library for the Moslem Population was opened in Kazan. It soon became one of
the main Tatar enlightenment centers in Russia for that time. On recollections
of contemporaries, such revolutionary democrats, outstanding poets and writers
as Gabdulla Tukay, Fatykh Amirkhan, the first Tatar Bolshevik Khusain Yamashev,
Fatkhi Burnash, Naki Isanbet, sculptor Baki Urmanche and others were regular
attendees of the branch.
The revolution of 1917 gave incentive to
further different changes in the history of the library; and in 1965, the year
of its centenary, the library acquired the status of a scientific library, with
next confirmation about official status for library as the National library of
Tatarstan being multifunctional library-informational and scientific-research
institution, cultural, bibliographical and methodical center.
Main library objectives mentioned in revision of the Charter consist in
realization of social, cultural, educational and scientific functions in
satisfaction of many-sided informational requirements of the society on basis
of accessibility principle. Main functions of the National library of Tatarstan
are defined by its principle responsibilities as regards the Republic: this is
thorough and maximum total disclosure of uniqueness of the Republic, its
spiritual heritage, scientific and cultural activity. Being
the leading library, it performs collection, storage and distribution of
documents issued in the Republic and documents about the Republic. Thus, the
library is a unified center of book culture in the Republic.
The
library is a center of propaganda and dissemination of culture of Tatar people,
the only public library in the world that performs functions of acquisition,
preservation and dissemination of Tatar books and literature about the
Republic. In the fund of department of rare books and manuscripts there are
nearly 13 thousand copies of books in Tatar, Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Russian
and other languages, more than thousand manuscripts and photo materials, filing
of pre-revolutionary Tatar periodicals. Here you can find basic research in
history and culture, valuable literature, miniature editions. Manuscript lists
"Legend about Yusuf" by Kul Gali, the Koran, that was rewritten in 1699,
collection of philosophical and ethical works of the XIV century, life-time
work editions by outstanding figures of Tatar literature and enlightenment
Sh.Mardzhani, K.Nasyri, G.Tukay and others are presented here. On the basis of
the library it is intended to create Republican center of documents
preservation, to establish the Museum of Tatar book.
During
the last decade continuous complication of structure of the National library
occurs. It is determined by expansion of sphere of informational provision.
Only for the last several years the following significant structural changes
took place: electronic reading-hall was opened in the patenting department, the
Center of legal information was created; this center renders information to
State machinery of the President and Cabinet of the Republic of Tatarstan,
deputies and commission of State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan, workers
of ministries and departments.
The
National library is a state national book depositary responsible for formation
of general informational resource of the republic. Unique informational
resources of the library are reflected in electronic catalogue of new
literature on Russian, Tatar languages, languages of people of Commonwealth of
Independent States and foreign languages, electronic filing of articles in
Russian and Tatar languages and in other databases.
There
is active propaganda about life and activity of representatives of science,
culture, art, literature of Tatarstan. Execution
of enlightener function is performed in the course of realization of the
complex of measures: literary and musical gathering devoted to the 1000th
Anniversary of Kazan city, meetings with the editors of the magazine "Yalkyn"
(devoted to the 80th Anniversary of the magazine), the editors of
the newspaper "Evening Kazan" (devoted to the 25th Anniversary of
the newspaper), the editors of the magazine "Idel"; musical-thematic
evening-parties within the cycle "People of our city", musical meeting
"Dialogues in space of culture"; the dramatized musical-thematic evening-party
"Cradle of Russian opera", devoted to the 200th Anniversary from the
birthday of M.I.Glinka; lecture-concert "Forgotten part of F.I. Shalyapin":
Expansion
of two-sided and many-sided connections with foreign libraries has for an
object an execution of joint projects, experience exchange, specialists
preparation, organization of exhibition work and other measures. Special
subdivision of the library - department of international book-exchange -
cooperates with libraries of the former Soviet republics and foreign countries.
Subscribers of international book-exchange are national libraries of Turkey,
China, France, Germany, the Library of the USA Congress, the Public library of
New-York, the Library of Tatar association of the USA and others. 38 libraries
from 26 regions of Russian and CIS concluded contracts with the National
library about cooperation in the sphere of acquisition of national and regional
literature [12]. Among them are libraries of Tjumen, Chelyabinsk, Perm,
Volgograd regions, Republics of Chuvash, Mordovia, Bashkortostan, Mary El.
The
department of literature in foreign languages gives great possibilities to the
users. A multimedia information center is opened in its structure, the American
reading-hall is created on the initiative of the Embassy of the USA, the German
reading-hall is created on the initiative of the Institute named after Goethe.
In 2002 there was an opening of the Internet-center of the National library
created on the initiative of Administration of educational and cultural programs
of the Department of State of the USA and American non-commercial organization
"Project Harmony, Inc.".
In
2000 a Web-site of the library was created. Inquiries of users were registered
from 80 cities of Russia and from 64 countries of the world, including the
countries of CIS, the USA, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Brazil, Australia, Lebanon, Taiwan, Monaco, Malta, New Zealand, Syria, Sudan,
Tunis, etc.
There
is also the scientific-research work [13] with development of information technologies.
In 2001-2001 the All-Russian electronic scientific and practical conference
"Profession of librarian in the mirror of informational society" was held by
the library, a digest was published on the results of this conference. The
National library of RT is involved also as participant in the research
"Informational requirements of youth: modern conditions, satisfaction methods".
So, the activity of the National library of
Tatarstan is conforming its high scientific, cultural and technical potential,
complicated structure and technology; the library important role in general
development of Science and Culture in whole.
References (in
Russian version of article)
Razil
I.Valeev, Writer, Chairman of Scientific Council of National
Library of Tatarstan Republic. The professional interests area: state politics
in area of culture, library management, history of tatar book.
Rimma
U.Bagaeva, Ass.Prof.; Scientific Secretary of National Library
of Tatarstan Republic. The professional interests area: scientific research in
iformation-library area.
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