Free public library in Tomsk: peculiarities of stocks formation and financing resources

A new type of popular library - free public library appeared throughout Russia inthe second half of the 19th century. Their mass appearance was connected with the reforms of the 1860s when the demand for competentworkers and peasants increased. The first free library in Siberia was opened in 1884 at the initiative of the Elementary EducationCare Society created by P.I. Makushin in Tomsk. Considerable means and Society funds were assigned to buy furniture and books; aspecial subscription was opened. A two-storeyed building was constructed specifically for the library in 1887 on means of a merchantS.S. Valgusov. In the first years of its work the library did not draw attention of administration, and its stocks were not checked. But in1888 a number of statutes, which limited the sources of books acquisition were issued. Approximate catalogues of the most suitablebooks for public libraries were made; censorship appeared not to allow undesirable literature in the libraries. After issuing of the Ruleson free public reading rooms and order of their supervision in 1890, a special rank of an observer over the public library and especiallyover its books acquisition was introduced. The observers activity on auditing of library stocks revealed numerous infringements in thework of librarian N.F. Davidovich that later led to her dismissal. The library was financed on the means of a civil society organization,which supported elementary schools and other cultural and educational establishments. Therefore, the library budget on purchase of newbooks was limited, and available books decayed quickly. The library started to receive donated books, but only insignificant part of themcould be accepted into the library stocks because of restrictive catalogues. At the beginning of the 20th century the financing of the Societyslibrary and replenishment of its stocks increased, the quantity of readers whose opinions and preferences should be taken intoaccount increased sharply, too. Though the free library was the largest in the city by the number of readers, the main categories of itssubscribers were pupils and women engaged in housekeeping. These categories of readers had much more free time; and reading was apleasant entertainment at their leisure-time. Summing up the work of the public library, it is necessary to notice that keen interest inpublic library activity and quality of its stocks appears in Siberia only at the beginning of the 20th century, which could be explained bythe increased quantity of readers. Being a source of pride for the Care Society and the whole city, the free library was notable for thegreatest quantity of readers while there was scanty financing on new literature purchase, a considerable quantity of unclaimed literatureand impossibility to buy the necessary book because of restrictive catalogues. Preferences of unpretentious readers influenced the specificityof library stocks formation in many respects.

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