Libraries of Russia: Exhibition “Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War. NLR’s Siege collection”

On May, 4 at 4 p.m. an inauguration of the book and illustrative exhibition entitled “Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War. The NLR’s Siege collection” will kick off at the new building of the National Library of Russia (NLR) (Moscow Ave., 165).

During the whole war even within the most severe days of the Siege the State Public Saltykov-Shchedrin Library (currently National Library of Russia) didn’t close. The selfless work of librarians in conditions of the besieged city became a response to the enemy.

Soldiers and officers from the front-line, participants of partisan movement, the wounded from hospitals, city residents turned to the library. It was only during the siege the library issued over 500,000 books, magazines and newspapers. Within the war years the National Library of Russia rendered its services to more than 42,000 patrons, and issued about 1,5 million of its storage units.

In March 1942 the library decided to create a collection “Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War”, which welcomed all war-time prints and any materials dedicated to the life of the besieged city.

Over half a century later exhibits from the NLR’s holdings will tell about residents of Leningrad, who despite sufferings and hardships, were never crestfallen, and continued to live and think, write music and poems. The exhibition will familiarize visitors with leaflets, pamphlets, newspapers, posters, food cards, playbills, labels, sheet music, diaries and editions, issued during the years of the siege.

The Director General of the National Library of Russia V. N. Zaitsev, representatives of the NLR’s Council of Veterans and city public organizations will deliver a welcome speech.