The books were selected from recent acquisitions in the library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Reviewers from the Slavic Reference Service and other Slavic, East European, and Eurasian library specialists at Illinois are identified by their initials (Katherine Ashcraft, Tabitha Cochran, Kit Condill, Joe Lenkart, Larry Miller, Olga Makarova, Serenity Stanton Orengo, and Marek Sroka).
General
Entsiklopediia dissidentstva: Vostochnaia Europa, 1956–1989: Albaniia, Bolgariia, Vengriia, Vostochnaia Germaniia, Polʹsha, Rumyniia, Chekhoslovakiia, Iugoslaviia. Memorial. Ed. A. Iu. Danielʹ. Moscow: Novoe literaturnoe obozrenie, 2022. 975 pp.
This encyclopedia includes biographies of 160 dissidents and proponents of independent civil, political, intellectual, and religious life in eastern Europe from the 1950s to the1980s. It is based on the first volume of Dictionary of Dissidents (Warsaw, 2007), translated from Polish, and covers eight countries of eastern and central Europe. Each country entry includes a historic overview, bibliography, chronicle of events, and biographies of key dissidents. Biographical entries provide information about names, pseudonyms, dates of birth and death of key figures, their main accomplishments, and works by and about them. The book concludes with an index of personal names.—OM
Bulgaria
Aprilsko vustanie 1876 godina: Kratka istoricheska entsiklopediia. By Atanas Petrov Shopov and Desislava Kostadinova. Veliko Turnovo: Izdatelstvo “Faber,” 2021. 599 pp.
According to the compilers, this is the first encyclopedic guide to the April Uprising of 1876, organized by Hristo Botev and the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee against the Ottoman empire. The entries are not organized by regions where the uprising broke out, but in alphabetical order of surnames of individuals who participated in the rebellion. Events are listed alphabetically by their titles. A significant section is devoted to the organization of the local revolutionary committees, which had the immediate responsibility for organizing and carrying out the uprising, as well as coverage of the organization and activity of the insurgent groups that formed and operated in key regions. Spanning more than 500 pages, most entries are accompanied by short bibliographies, making this guide an invaluable starting point for research.—JL
Hungary
Magyar filmek, 1896–2021. Ed. Gábor Gelencsér, et al. Budapest: MMA Kiadó, 2021. 767 pp.
One of many monographs and reference works on the history of Hungarian cinema published since the year 2000, this joint project of the Hungarian Academy of Arts and the Hungarian National Film Institute provides information on 516 of the estimated 1,500 Hungarian films ever made (of which approximately one third are considered lost—although a handful of those were rediscovered in the course of compiling this volume). Chosen for their representativeness for the overall development of Hungarian cinema, 314 feature films (including 87 from silent film and early sound eras), 75 documentaries, 28 short films, 25 experimental films, 64 animated films and 10 educational films are included. The variety of genres covered sets this work apart from others in the field (such as László Kelecsényi's Vászonszerelem: A magyar hangosfilm krónikája 1931-től napjainkig—Noran, 2007), as does the compilers’ intent for the book to be read cover-to-cover, thereby functioning as a “synoptic” account of Hungarian cinema as a whole. The entries appear in chronological order by date of premiere, and average about five substantial paragraphs in length. Most of the entries include a brief bibliography. The entries are signed, and describe each film's plot, critical significance, and the context in which it was produced and released, as well as brief information on the careers of actors, directors, and others involved with the film. Numerous cross-references to related films make the entries (and the volume as a whole) more useful, but overall, only a minimal amount of information about each individual film's cast, crew, producers, and others is included. Indexes of personal names and film titles are provided. This work is intended as a companion volume to the same publisher's Magyar irodalmi művek, 1956–2016 (2021), which critically evaluates a selection of Hungarian literary works in a nearly identical format. As of June 2023, all the entries in this volume are also freely available online at https://www.mmalexikon.hu/kategoria/film.—KC
Kazakhstan
Qazaqstan Respublikasy Prezidentining Arkhivi: Arkhiv Prezidenta Respubliki Kazakhstana. Comp. E.M. Gribanova et al. Almaty: Arys, 2021. 3 vols.
This finding aid to the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan is an update to the second edition published in 2016. This third edition, presented in 3 parts, provides useful edits and supplementary information to the past editions. Volume 1 has descriptions in Kazakh of archival fonds related to governmental institutions in Soviet and independent Kazakhstan. This section covers a broad range of topics from international relations to local-level Komsomol records. Volume 2 offers the same information in Russian. Volume 3 provides short biographies and information on personal papers of significant individuals, family fonds, and description of files about political repression in the USSR. Geographic, name, and thematic indexes are provided throughout the volumes. Researchers planning to conduct archival work on the Soviet or Post-Soviet periods will benefit greatly from a thorough review of this resource, which is a worthwhile companion to the archive's online electronic catalog. Each volume concludes with a bibliography of reference materials and archival guides.—KA
Kyrgyzstan
Diplomatiia entsiklopediiasy. By A.A. Dzhapanov, et al. Bishkek, 2020. 8 vols.
This encyclopedia of diplomacy covers the history of diplomatic relations as well as theoretical aspects of diplomacy. Entries are in Kyrgyz , with supplementary sections in either Kyrgyz or Russian. Each volume ends with an alphabetical index of all terms mentioned in the volume. Each volume also includes unique supplementary materials such as timelines and statistical tables about global topics. The author is a prolific encyclopedist and lexicographer responsible for multi-volume works on military science, political science, ethnology and ethnography, medicine, linguistics, and several other topics.—KA
Poland
Urzędnicy służby zagranicznej Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej 1918–1945: Przewodnik biograficzny. Ed. Krzysztof Smolana. Warsaw: Naczelna Dyrekcja Archiwów Państwowych; Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych, 2020– Vol. 1 (415 pp.)
This joint publication of Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Archives is a biographical dictionary of Polish diplomatic staff. The first volume presents 236 biographical entries on important members, including both high- and low-ranking officials, of the Polish diplomatic corps from 1918 to 1945. The Polish diplomatic service developed rapidly after Poland regained independence in 1918. Approximately 6,000 people worked for the service over the years during the period of the Polish Second Republic (1918–1945). Each entry includes a brief biographical sketch, a list of publications, and a personal photograph (if available). The book concludes with an index of personal names.—MS
Leksykon oddziałów Powstania Warszawskiego. By Rafał Brodacki, et al. Warsaw: Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego; 2022. 495 pp.
This biographical and encyclopedic dictionary is an excellent resource for researchers of World War II history in Warsaw and its fateful 1944 uprising that resulted in the almost total destruction of Poland's capital by the German army. Starting with the command structures of the underground Home Army (Armia Krajowa) in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, the dictionary lists the regiments and units that participated in the Warsaw Uprising. Each entry includes photographs, often depicting the places where different units fought against the Germans, and fragments of personal narratives written by the insurgents themselves. Many of the objects and photographs examined in the book come from the Warsaw Uprising Museum where they are a part of the permanent exhibit. The book concludes with an index of personal names and pseudonyms.—MS
Russia
Chtenie: Entsiklopedicheskii slovarʹ. Ed. Iu. P. Melentʹeva. Rossiiskaia akademiia nauk. Nauchnyi i izdatelʹskii tsentr “Nauka.” Otdel problem chteniia. Rossiiskaia akademiia obrazovaniia. Nauchnyi sovet po problemam chteniia. Moscow: FGBUN NITS “Nauka” RAN, 2021. 438 pp.
Some 371 signed articles by Russian librarians, information specialists, psychologists, and other experts on the theory and science of reading are included in this impressive dictionary of terms. An English-language equivalent or literal translation is given for each topic, and a number of the bibliographic references are English-language works. A section of color plates reproduces the covers of 32 major Russian monographs related to reading science. A list of authors along with their institutional affiliations and email addresses concludes the volume along with an index list of the articles.—LM
Entsiklopediia podvodnogo kulʹturnogo naslediia. By A.V. Okorokov and L.V. Madikova. Rossiiskii nauchno-issledovatelʹskii institut kulʹturnogo i prirodnogo naslediia im. D.S. Likhacheva. Moscow: Institut Naslediia, 2020. 515 pp.
This encyclopedia presents a comprehensive view of Russian and international efforts in the study of underwater archaeology. Section 1 is an annotated timeline of developments in underwater cultural heritage studies covering the years 1859–2019, separated by country of research. Annotations contain information about expedition names, researchers, and results. Section 2 provides 104 short biographies of international experts and their notable works. Personalities are listed in alphabetic order by surname (in Russian) in lieu of a name index. This volume also contains four appendices including information on the classification of underwater cultural heritage sites, a classification of underwater museums, historical parks and reserves, information on monitoring underwater cultural preservation efforts, and an index of institutions providing courses in underwater archaeology in English. With 22 additional pages of plates and photographs, and 162 references, this resource is valuable for any Russian reader interested in the global history and current practice of underwater archaeology.—KA
Entsiklopedicheskii slovarʹ detskogo pravozashchitnika. By S.V. Shiro, et al. Volgograd: FGBOU VO Volgogradskii GAU, 2020. 522 pp.
This scholarly encyclopedic dictionary contains 1258 terms providing broad coverage of Russian and international law pertaining to juveniles as well as articles on philosophy, psychology, history, current conditions, and institutions related to the condition of children. The entries, some of them biographical, are arranged alphabetically and contain substantial brief international bibliographic references. The dictionary concludes with a bibliography (222 titles) and brief information about the authors and compilers.—OM
Institut rossiiskoi istorii RAN 1936—2021 gg.: Ocherk istorii; Biobibliograficheskii slovarʹ. Ed. Iu. A. Petrov and A. A. Chernobaev. Moscow: Izdatelʹskii tsentr Instituta rossiiskoi istorii RAN, 2021. 654 pp.
Over the last 85 years, what is today known as the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Russian History has counted many of the leading historians of the Russian Federation and the USSR among its fellows. This extensive biobibliography of 850 historians affiliated with the Institute (most of them at the PhD/kandidat level or above) serves as a comprehensive record of their published works (including works appearing in Euro-Atlantic journals) and career paths. Many of the entries also include references to additional bibliographies of the historians’ works, and/or additional biographical information about them. Other biobibliographies of Russian and Soviet historians, such as the three-volume Istoriki Rossii kontsa XIX—nachala XXI veka (Sobranie, 2016–17) were used heavily in the compilation of this volume. The biobibliographical section is preceded by a lavishly illustrated 69-page history of the Institute and its previous incarnations and predecessor institutions, tracing the ideological twists and turns and the political and military upheavals that affected its work. Despite the Institute's current focus on “Russian” history, throughout its existence it has also supported scholars interested in other countries (and their relationships with Russia, Muscovy, and the USSR), as well as the history of non-Russian peoples within the Russian Federation and predecessor states. Such historians and their works are well represented in this biobibliography. At the end of the volume, a detailed account of changes in the structure of the Institute over time is provided, along with a list of the Institute's current staff as of 2021 and a few other minor appendices. One potential drawback of this volume is its omission of prominent historians who were never affiliated with the Institute, thereby limiting its usefulness as a general bibliography of Russian and Soviet historical writing. Another drawback is the excessive use of abbreviations (deiat-t΄ for deiatel΄nost΄, iuzhnoros. for iuzhnorossiiskii, dok-takh for dokumentakh, gosud-ti for gosudarstvennosti, prom-t΄ for promyshlennost΄, rev-tsii for revoliutsii) which could present difficulties, especially since no list of abbreviations and acronyms is provided. The introduction states that “the main acronyms and abbreviations of the names of journals, institutions, and organizations correspond to those adopted in the three-volume biobibliographic dictionary Istoriki Rossii kontsa XIX—nachala XXI veka.”—KC
Knigi Kirillicheskoi pechati XVI-XVII vekov v Nauchnoi biblioteke Moskovskogo universiteta: Katalog. A.V. Dadykin and V.I. Erofeeva. Nauchnaia biblioteka (Moskovskii gosudarstvennyi universitet im. M.V. Lomonosova). Moscow: Indrik; 2021. 829 pp.
This catalog builds on two earlier catalogs published in 1980 and 2000 (I. V. Pozdeeva, et al., Katalog knig kirillicheskoi pechati XV-XVII vv. Nauchnoi biblioteki Moskovskogo universiteta. Moscow: MGU, 1980; I. V. Pozdeeva, et al. Kirillicheskie izdaniia. XVI vek—1641 g. . . . . . Moscow: MGU, 2000). In addition to updating previous entries with more detailed information, the catalog introduces 377 new copies of 205 different editions and 89 fragments from 72 editions. Most of these new items were found by archeographic expeditions to communities of Old Believers. The catalog is organized chronologically by edition; following the edition description are descriptions of each copy. All descriptions are extremely thorough, paying attention to physical condition and marginalia, and make it possible to uniquely identify each edition and its copies. The catalog also includes a list of illustrations, two appendices (abbreviated descriptions of the 89 fragments and a phototype reproduction of a chapter on literacy from Chasovnik, February 15, 1645), and nine indices: place and date of publication; titles and authors; names of people mentioned in inscriptions; geographic names noted in the descriptions (where an item was found); names of monasteries, churches, and other organizations mentioned in inscriptions; dates of inscriptions; price of book (when noted); binding. This catalog pulls together important historical information for scholars of sixteenth and seventeenth-century Russia, especially religious scholars. Along with new items, its main contribution is the expansion of catalog descriptions to include more details like inscriptions and marginalia.—TC
Kubanovedenie ot A do IA: Entsiklopediia. 2d rev. and sup. ed. Ed. V. N. Ratushniak. Krasnodar: Traditsiia, 2020. 608 pp.
The second edition of this basic encyclopedia of the Kuban region in the northwestern Caucasus (including the current Krasnodar Krai, the Republic of Adygeia, and the former Kuban Oblast of the Russian empire) represents a slight expansion and revision of the 574-page 1st edition, published in 2008. Notable persons born in or associated with the region are a major focus, along with local geographic features, aspects of local economic, cultural, and political life, and historical and archaeological phenomena. The region's Circassian/Adyghe heritage is well represented. The entries are signed but generally brief, and do not include bibliographies for further reading. Some of the material has been adapted from earlier encyclopedias and biographical dictionaries of the region, such as B. A. Trekhbratov's Entsiklopedicheskii slovar΄ po istorii Kubani s drevneishikh vremen do oktiabria 1917 goda (Krasnodar, 1998). A list of acronyms and abbreviations rounds out the volume.—KC
Mosfilʹm: Polnaia istoriia nashego kinematografa. By Liudmila Sokolova. V ritme epokhi. Moscow: Izdatelʹstvo AST: Vremena, 2021. 350 pp.
This impressive volume serves as a comprehensive history of Mosfil΄m studio which will celebrate its hundredth birthday in 2024. Included is an introduction, “What is Mosfil΄m to me?” written by the director general of Mosfil΄m since 1998, Karen Shakhnazarov, as well as four chapters covering the history of the film studio, the Zolotoi fond (Golden Collection) awards won by the studio's films, and the physical studio and surrounding areas. The highlight of the book is Chapter 2, which outlines the Golden Collection and Shakhnazarov's decision to restore and make almost a thousand of Mosfil΄m's most famous films available free online. Several pages are devoted to each of the 44 films highlighted, including lengthy entries on Bronenosets (Potemkin, 1925), Ivan Groznyi (1944, 1945, 1958), Letiat zhuravli (1957), and Brilliantovaia ruka (1968). The 45-page concluding appendix is a chronological list of every film produced by Mosfil΄m, starting with Na kryl΄iakh vvys΄ (1923), and concluding with Reshenie o likvidatsii (2018). This volume will be of interest to film scholars and enthusiasts alike.—SSO
Na chuzhbine pisali o Rodine: Proza vtoroi volny russkoi emigratsii: Bibliograficheskie ocherki. Knizhnaia vselennaia. By М.Е. Babicheva. Moscow: Pashkov dom, 2020. 590 pp.
This bibliography covers the works of seventeen Russian emigre writers who represent the second wave of Russian emigration following World War II. It is a revised and expanded version of the author's Pisateli vtoroi volny russkoi emigratsii (Moscow, 2005). Profiles are organized in alphabetical order by last name and include biographical sketches, followed by a bibliography of the author's work organized by genre and year. The monograph also contains a table of periodical publications and a 7-page alphabetical index of names. Researchers of emigre literature will appreciate the comprehensiveness of author bibliographies and index of additional mentioned names.—KA
Politicheskie deiateli Tatarstana: Biograficheskie ocherki (1920–2020 gg.) By R.V. Shaidullin. Kazanʹ: OSP “Institut tatarskoi entsiklopedii i regionovedeniia AN RT,” 2020. 495 pp.
This biographical dictionary of 100 people prominent in the sociopolitical, economic, and cultural life of the Republic of Tatarstan over its first 100 years (beginning with the founding of the Tatar ASSR in 1920) was produced by the Academy of Sciences of Tatarstan's Institute of the Tatar Encyclopedia and Regional Studies. The entries are in alphabetical order, each approximately five pages long, with abundant high-quality photographs illustrating the lives and careers of their subjects. The authors of the entries are indicated in the table of contents at the end of the book, where an index of personal names can also be found. The entries do not include bibliographies of works by or about their subjects, although selected works by prolific writers such as Galimdzhan Ibragimov (1887–1938) are mentioned briefly in the text of their entries. Despite the introduction's invocation of “multi-national Tatarstan,” the dictionary primarily features ethnic Tatars (a few Russians and others who played a role in the political life of the republic also make an appearance). A small number of prominent composers, artists, and other figures from the world of the arts and academia are included, both for their political role as leaders of cultural institutions and, in most cases, for having served as delegates to the Supreme Soviet of Tatarstan or higher legislative bodies. Only three women—government officials Daniia Davletshina (1934-), Galiia Izmailova (1909–1983), and Amina Mukhitdinova (1894–1944) were selected for inclusion.—KC
Putevoditelʹ po lichnym fondam. By I. L. Makarevich, et al. Federalʹnoe arkhivnoe agentstvo. Federal΄noe kazennoe uchrezhdenie. Moscow-Ivanovo: Rossiiskii gosudarstvennyii arkhiv nauchno-tekhnicheskoii dokumentatsii RGANTD; OOO “PresSto,” 2021. 323 pp.
In 1962, the V. I. Lenin State Library of the USSR (now the Russian State Library) and the Main Archival Administration of the USSR published the first volume of Lichnye arkhivnye fondy v gosudarstvennykh khranilishchakh SSSR: ukazatel΄ (Moscow, 1962–1980). Two more volumes were added, and this set is an invaluable source for locating personal archives in the Soviet and post-Soviet space. A complementary website features the updated, online version of this guide. Putevoditel΄ po lichnym fondam Rossiiskogo gosudarstvennogo arkhiva nauchno-tekhnicheskoi dokumentatsii is another important addition to the existing collection of findings aids. This guide includes information on the personal archives and collections of cosmonauts, figures in the rocket and space industry, and other physical scientists and engineers whose documents are in the Russian State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation. Well over 100 personal archives are described as well as a separate collection on the history of cosmonautics plus a photographic, film, and video library. An index of archival funds and index of personal names are included to aid the researcher.—JL
Russkii narod. Entsiklopediia narodnogo i dekorativno-prikladnogo iskusstva. Ed. Oleg Platonov. Moscow: Institut russkoi tsivilizatsii, 2022. 2 vols. (647; 688 pp.)
This two-volume encyclopedia explores national features and development of folk and decorative art in Russia, including many articles on individual artists and scholars. It contains 805 entries and more than 3000 black-and-white illustrations. Entries are signed and include brief bibliographic information. No indexes are provided.—OM
Sergei Iulʹevich Vitte: Statʹi dlia biograficheskoi entsiklopedii. By S. V. Kulikov. St. Petersburg: Rostok, 2022. 667 pp.
A total of 252 articles (170 biographical and 82 subject) by historian S. V. Kulikov are included in this scholarly reference work on the Russian statesman Sergei Witte (1849–1915). The articles were originally written during 2005–07 for an unpublished Witte biographical encyclopedia, and most of them are published here for the first time. Extensive bibliographies and archival references accompany the articles, especially the biographical entries (which also include portraits). Subject articles include broad topics such as nationalism, civil rights, revolution, and the liberal movement, along with treatment of individual newspapers, political parties, treaties, Witte research resources, the assassination attempt on him, and his association with elite salons. A listing of the contents is the only auxiliary item.—LM
Slovar’ polemicheskoi leksiki sovetskoi epokhi. By S. B. Borisov. Shadrinsk: FGBOU VO Shadrinskii gosudarstvennyi pedagogicheskii universitet, 2022. 2 vols. (309; 277 pp.)
Representing a part of ongoing research on past and present Russian polemical language, this dictionary deals with the period from 1920 to the 1980s and will be of interest not only to linguists, but especially to students of Soviet history and culture. The copious usages are from books, periodical and newspaper articles, conference speeches, letters to the editor, and the like. Quotes from Iosif Stalin and CPSU documents are ubiquitous. Typical of the coverage are the twelve separate entries relating to the pejorative “capitulate” and “capitulation.” At the end of each volume is the list of abbreviations and bibliography of 216 mainly contemporary Soviet sources.—LM
Slovarʹ russkogo iazyka XI–XVII vv.: Spravochnye materialy: Ukazatelʹ istochnikov; Slovnik (priamoi). By M. I. Chernysheva. Institut russkogo iazyka im. V. V. Vinogradova. Rossiiskaia akademiia nauk. Moscow: LEKSRUS, 2020. 764 pp.
This reference source accompanies the V.V. Vinogradov Russian Language Institute's Slovar’ russkogo iazyka XI–XVII vv. Part I presents 213 pages of references to all sources used to compile the original dictionary, arranged in alphabetical order by surname or institution name. Part II provides a list of words included in the 31-volume dictionary. Researchers of the Russian language in the eleventh–seventeenth centuries will find this volume an invaluable accompaniment to the dictionary thanks to its relatively compact size and extensive bibliography.—KA
Sovremennye issledovaniia po istorii kraevedeniia v regionakh Rossii 1960–2010-e gg.: Nauchno-analiticheskii obzor i bibliograficheskie ukazateli. By A. G. Smirnova. Moscow: ITS Kraevedenie, 2021. 402 pp.
The book is a first scholarly attempt to identify, systematize, and review works related to Russian local history studies, produced in 1960–2010s. More than a thousand publications have been identified. They are included in the second part of the book which comprises an alphabetical list as well as annual lists of scientific and reference publications, an annual list of dissertations, and chronological lists of articles in several local history organs. The first part of this study provides an analytical overview of the field and the main phases and trends in the historiography of Russian local history studies. The total lack of indexes substantially limits its usability for reference purposes.—OM
Tatarstan Respublikasynyng tabigate ḣăm tabigyi bailyklary: Illiustratsiiale entsiklopediia. Ed. F.G. Borhanov. Kazan: TR Faneng Tatar entsiklopediiase ḣăm tȯbăkne ȯirănu̇ instituty, 2021. 619 pp.
This quality encyclopedia of the natural world and natural resources of the Republic of Tatarstan is almost a word-for-word translation of its slightly-smaller 2019 Russian-language version (Priroda i prirodnye resursy Respubliki Tatarstan: Illiustrirovannaia entsiklopediia) into Tatar, with the same editorial board and the same list of mostly Russian-language sources (602–6). Over 2,000 entries and nearly 1,000 full-color photographs and drawings provide a very detailed introduction to the botany, zoology, geology, and topography of the Republic of Tatarstan, but the strict geographical focus on a relatively small portion of the Russian Federation (and, for Euro-Atlantic scholars, the language barrier) will, unfortunately, limit its broader usefulness. Entries are unsigned and do not include bibliographies. One curious choice is organization of the “Index of Names” (608–18), which neither functions as a complete table of contents (since only the entries for animals, plants and fungi are included) nor as an index of Russian common names (since they are alphabetized by their Tatar common names, as in the encyclopedia itself), nor as an index of Latin-based scientific names. Locating the Tatar entry based on the scientific name or the Russian common name would require the reader to browse at random through the entire 11-page index.—KC
Serbia
Žena Danas (1936–1940): Bibliografija. By Larisa Kostić and Emilija Aćimović. Istorija srpske književne periodike; 33. Beograd: Institut za književnost i umetnost, 2021. 167 pp.
This index-bibliography lists the contents of Žena Danas (The Woman Today), a Yugoslav illustrated feminist magazine. The content is presented issue by issue in chronological order for the period 1936–40. This bibliography is part of a larger series on the history of Serbian literary periodicals that consists of more than thirty bibliographies. The work contains 650 entries and includes name and subject indexes.—JL
Ukraine
Bahatotyrazhna presa Ukraïny 1917–1941 rokiv: Stanovlennia, rozvytok, kontent: Monohrafiia. By O.A. Vakulʹchuk. Kyiv: Natsionalʹna biblioteka imeni V.I. Vernadsʹkoho, 2021. 534 pp.
This monograph examines the establishment, development, and operations of bahatotyrazhni (also known as mnogotirazhnye, grassroots, local, corporate) newspapers published in the territory of present-day Ukraine from 1917–41. Bahatotyrazhni newspapers were published by industrial, scientific, or educational organizations, often targeted at the working class. Vakul΄chuk argues that these newspapers have been overlooked because of the assumption that they parroted Soviet ideology; yet, she contends, they also reveal the inner workings of the factories, farms, and other organizations. The author places the establishment of this type of press during the Ukrainian Revolutionary period (1917–21), when the Bolsheviks recognized the importance of distributing ideology to the masses through the press. The development then continued from the 1920s into the start of the 1930s with wall newspapers, the Robsilkor movement, and other Soviet publications. The second half of the 1930s and the beginning of the 1940s saw a rapid rise in newspapers aimed at industrial and agricultural laborers. The author ends her chronology at 1941, with the USSR's entry into WWII. This volume not only gives a sweeping history of these industrial newspapers, but features a hefty appendix with three bibliographic lists, each organized chronologically: factory newspapers, educational and student newspapers, and mining and quarry newspapers. This work is useful for scholars of the Soviet press, working class, and labor relations. At the time of writing, the full text is available on NBUV's website: http://irbis-nbuv.gov.ua/everlib/item/er-0004099.—TC
Kulʹturni tsinnosti ustanov Lʹvova u 1939–1953-kh rr.: Peremishchennia i vtraty. By Roman Dziuban. Lʹviv, Lʹvivsʹka natsionalʹna naukova biblioteka Ukrainy imeni V. Stefanyka, 2020. 340 pp.
Roman Dziuban's monograph tells the history of the reorganization of L΄viv's cultural institutions and the relocation and removal of Ukrainian cultural artifacts during WWII and immediately after. It is chronologically separated into four sections: the Sovietization and losses of L΄viv cultural institutions (1939–41); the reorganization and losses under German occupation (1941–44); the renewal of Soviet structures in L΄viv cultural institutions (1944–45); and Soviet influence on L΄viv institutions after the war (1946–50). Dziuban draws on archival documents and published sources to follow the histories of L΄viv's libraries, archives, and museums, which are treated separately in each section. The most attention is given to the reorganization and losses of the Vasyl Stefanyk National Scientific Library of Ukraine in L΄viv. This book is useful for historians of Ukrainian culture and for those studying cultural destruction and pillaging during WWII. The work includes bibliographical references, indexes of personal and geographic names, and 28 pages containing black and white photos of institutions’ facades, portraits, reproductions of artwork, and facsimiles of documents.—TC
Relihiini hazety Ukrainy 1989–2004 rokiv u fondakh Natsionalʹnoi biblioteky Ukrainy imeni V.I. Vernadsʹkoho: Doslidzhennia, kataloh . Comp. O. S. Zalizniuk and I. M. Shvets΄. Kyiv: Natsionalʹna biblioteka Ukrainy im. V.I. Vernadsʹkoho, 2020. 322pp.
This catalog contains descriptions of 530 titles (399 newspapers and 131 supplements) of religious newspapers published in Ukraine from 1989–2004 that are held at the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine (NBUV) in Kyiv. Listed alphabetically by title, each entry provides full bibliographic information: title and subtitle, dates of publication, frequency, place of publication, changes in title and dates of changes, editors (with dates), print run (if available), issues held at NBUV, supplements, and notes. Some facsimiles of the front pages are also included. The bibliographic data are in Ukrainian, but the newspaper titles are listed in their original language. The catalog also features indexes organized by date of publication, editor's name, religious confession, place of publication, and language of publication. There is a wide geographic range, with most titles from Kyiv, L΄viv, and other urban centers. Most newspapers described are Orthodox, with religious confessions indexed as follows: Bahai, Great White Brotherhood, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Protestant denominations, native beliefs, the Creative Association of Sri Chaitanya Saraswati, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate), Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), Ukrainian Roman Catholic Church, interfaith, and non-denominational. Though the compilers recognize there are gaps in NBUV's collection (particularly earlier unregistered religious publications), this catalog is nonetheless invaluable to scholars of religious movements in Ukraine's recent history.—TC
Zasnovnyky i prezydenty Natsionalʹnoi akademii nauk Ukrainy: Biobibliohrafichni materialy. Ed. L. A. Dubrovina, et al. Kyiv: Natsionalʹna biblioteka Ukrainy imeni V. I. Vernadsʹkoho, 2021. 945 pp.
This biobibliography of twelve founding scholars (some of whom later served as presidents) and seven presidents of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NAN Ukraine) was prepared in celebration of the 100-year anniversary of NAN Ukraine and the 30-year anniversary of Ukrainian independence. Each entry contains a brief biography of the scholar and a bibliography listing works by him; works about his life and activities; works prepared in commemoration of him (such as memorial articles, proceedings of conferences in his name), if extant; and other bibliographies of his works or works about him. This impressive volume is a joint effort between NAN Ukraine and the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine (NBUV). Most items referenced are held at NBUV and were seen by the bibliographers. In addition to being useful for biographical studies, this work is also a good reference for scholars interested in Ukrainian contributions to biochemistry, biology, botany, economics, epidemiology, ethnography, geology, history, law, linguistics, mechanical and electrical engineering, pathophysiology, or physics. At the time of writing, the full text is available on NBUV's website: http://irbis-nbuv.gov.ua/everlib/item/er-0004169.—TC
Laurence H. Miller is professor emeritus in the Library of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. His current area of research is the history and description of the collections of that library. From 1975 to 1989 and from 1997 to the present he has edited the annual reference book section in the Slavic Review.
