Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine

Національна бібліотека України імені В. І. Вернадського
(Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine)

Country	Ukraine
Established	August 2, 1918 (1918-08-02)
Location	prosp. 40-richchia Zhovtnia, 3, Kiev (Ukraine)
Coordinates
Collection
Size	16,000,000 total Items
Other information
Director	Volodymyr Popyk
Staff	900
Website	http://www.nbuv.gov.ua/eng/

Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, VNLU (Ukrainian: Національна бібліотека України імені В.І. Вернадського) is the main academic library and main scientific information centre in Ukraine, one of the world's largest(top twenty) national libraries. It is located in the capital of the country – Kiev. The library contains about 15 million items. The library has the most complete collection of Slavic writing, archives of outstanding world and Ukrainian scientists and cultural persons. The holdings include the collection of the Presidents of Ukraine, archive copies of Ukrainian printed documents from 1917, and archives of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

History

Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine was established on 15 August 1918 by Hetman Pavlo Skoropadskyi as the "National Library of the Ukrainian State" (Natsionalna biblioteka Ukrayinskoyi Derzhavy). On 5 September 1918 there was established the Provisional Committee on creation of the National Library headed by Vladimir Vernadsky (Volodymyr Vernadsky).

Holdings

The collection of the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine contains more than 15 million items. Its basis form the large book collections of 18th-19th centuries.

As a depository library the Library has systematic acquisition. Annually, it receives 160.000-180.000 documents (books, magazines, newspapers, etc.). Holdings include all Ukrainian publications and copies of all Ukrainian candidate and doctoral theses. The library exchanges materials with more than 1.500 research and academic institutions and libraries from 80 countries. As a United Nations depository library since 1964, the library receives all English and Russian language publications from the United Nations and its special institutions.

The holdings of the Vernadsky National Library include large collections of manuscripts, rare printed books and incunabula. The library has the most complete collection of Slavic writing, including the Peresopnytsia Gospels, one of the most intricate surviving East Slavic manuscripts.

Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine is the world’s foremost repository of Jewish folk music recorded on Edison wax cylinders. Their Collection of Jewish Musical Folklore (1912-1947) was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2005.

Collections

The library owns works related to the history and culture of Ukraine and surrounding regions, including some of the oldest and rarest documents in the country, including the only handwritten music composition in existence by Artemiĭ Vedel.

Orsha Gospel

The library holds the Orsha Gospel. The book, which dates back to the late 13th century, is one of the oldest Belaurisian and one of the oldest to depict Cyrillic script. The book was thrown away by a monastery in Orsha. It was found by Napoleon's troops in 1812. In 1874 it was donated to the Kiev Theological Academy. It now resides in the collection of the National Library. It has miniature brightly colored illuminations of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew. They are in the Palaeologian dynasty style. Over 300 illustrations of flowers and animals are found in the book. It consists of the Gospel, a menology, and ends with matutinal gospels.

Aeneid

Ivan Kotliarevsky's epic poem version of the Aeneid, by Virgil, is the first piece of literature written in common Ukrainian. It was also the first book to discuss the cultural and history of Ukraine. The library holds five first edition copies.

Collection highlights

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  Orsha Gospel

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  Peresopnytske Gospel (1556-1561)

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  Petro Mohyla’s Trebnik (1646)

External links

• Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine – eCatalog