Information Technology and Culture: The "Memory Books of Kazan and Simbirsk Provinces" virtual exhibition in Chuvashia

The National Library of the Chuvash Republic features the "Commemorative Books of Kazan and Simbirsk Provinces" virtual exhibition.

Among the commemorative books of said provinces the official reference yearbooks that were produced in 89 provinces and regions of the Russian Empire from the mid 1830s until 1917. Local officials and agencies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued these books. Altogether there were found 2267 of publications that appeared since the mid 30s of XIX century before XX century’s 1917. Commemorative books were changing at times and in each province given its own features.

The special value of commemorative books is that they contain all the details, capturing everyday province or regional life, the single center of population or area on its territory; obtain first-hand information on the composition and activities of residents, the state of nature, economy, culture and everyday life; observe the changes taking place in the county or area year after year, for more than 60 years (since the mid XIX century prior to 1917 inclusive). Commemorative books are the important part of Russian book collection and are of a great interest for a history of national publishing. In many provinces and regions they became the first and then for many years the most significant local publications. Published in relatively small number of copies and distributed primarily within their own province or region, commemorative books became a rarity almost from the moment of its publication. Currently, not a single Russian library keeps their complete collection. Regional archives, the libraries and museums in Russia - with very seldom exceptions - do not have the full set of commemorative books of their districts.

The objective of this digital exhibition is to present the commemorative books of Kazan and Simbirsk provinces and to make these publications available to all interested book lovers: the bibliophiles, historians of culture, local historians, the librarians and the teachers.