Smolensk State Institute of Fine Arts

The author describes in detail the first years of the main scientific library in Smolensk Guberniya in the early 20-th century, namely Smolensk State University Library. The author was motivated by the absence of the complete picture of academic librarianship in the region; the issue is also insufficiently covered in the literature. The author applies the methods of comparative analysis and synthesis. The research is based on published and unpublished materials: documents in the State Archive of Smolensk Region; Rare Collection of Smolensk University Library; and scholarly papers. The author writes about the librarians who worked for the Library in 1918–1922, and its first director, privat-dozent I. E. Egorov. She also analyzes the history of the book collection development during the campaign of 1918–1921 in Smolensk Guberniya when the landed property and many manorial libraries were nationalized. She describes nationalized private collections in the Rare Collection of Smolensk University Library, and individual books from academic, public, scientific, estate, commercial, departmental, military and confessional libraries of prerevolutionary Smolensk. The role of Smolensk University Library as the richest book depository of the region and the value of its rare collections are emphasized. The vectors of the academic library activities of the above are explored. The research findings will contribute to the discipline “Library history” studied in the library higher schools and will be useful for modern academic libraries.