SPECIFICITY OF THE ACTIVITY OF BOOK AND READER STUDY CABINET AT THE UKRAINIAN SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTE OF BOOK STUDIES (1926–1936)

• Людмила Миколаївна Баліка

  кафедра теорії і методики виховання РДГУ

It is established in the paper that in Ukraine there is a significant decrease of reading interest. The current crisis of reading is recognized as a state problem. The state has adopted a number of normative documents, the overarching goal of which is to revive the social significance of books and reading as a process of cultural, spiritual, professional and intellectual enrichment. The analysis of the activities of Book and Reader Study Cabinet of the Ukrainian Scientific Institute of Book Studies (1926-1936) was carried out. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the Cabinet was the center of scientific research of reading and readers, which was facilitated by highly qualified specialists who developed the theoretical and methodological foundations of the research. It is noted that in different times the Cabinet was headed by V.M. Ivanushkin (1926–1927), D.A. Balyka (1927–1930), and N.M. Birkina (1931–1936). The main theoretical problems that the Cabinet planned to work on were highlighted: psychology of book influence in general; the content of the book in terms of bibliopsychology; reading as a problem of literary criticism; psychology of perception of a literary work; the place of the reader's history in the history of literature; the history of reader in Ukraine; principles of writing a popular book; modern Ukrainian popular book, etc. It was focused on the fact that the Cabinet as a research institution was developed in three stages: the first - development of tasks and installations, organization of research groups; the second - collection, processing and systematization of material for research; the third - publication of research results in periodicals and a collection of “Proceedings of the Cabinet of Readers”. One of the main tasks was a comprehensive study of the complex “book – reader”. It was turned out that the activity of the Cabinet was aimed at organizing and conducting an All-Ukrainian study of the state of libraries and their work with readers, study of readership in libraries, research of reading fiction by working youth.

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