History

On the 12^th October in Braila, Romania, was created the Bulgarian Literary Society and its book collection – the Society Library. Among its tasks were to create a collection of “all the books, newspapers etc., which have been issued so far and continue to be published in Bulgarian”; “to create collections of different old Bulgarian and foreign books, manuscripts, money and other similar objects”; “to acquire journals, newspapers etc. in different languages, which will be necessary for performing the society’s activities and tasks, as well as those, which reflect mainly the Bulgarian people and country” (Statute of the Bulgarian Literary Society, 1869). Vasil D. Stoyanov, a Society founder and clerk, was elected as a library keeper.

Beginning of the creation of the library collections. At this time were received the first donations by scientific institutions and persons – the Slavonic charity committees in Moscow, Saint-Petersburg and Odessa, the Paris Committee for free of charge sending of French books to Slaves and Romanians, St. D. Toshkovich, Prof. Nikolay Kouzhba, Prof. Marin Drinov etc. There were arranged the first international exchange relations in abroad – Matice česká, the Kiev Seminary, the British Museum, the Kraków Academy of Sciences, The Serbian Scientific Society, the National Library in Paris etc. Started the publication of “Periodical Journal of the Bulgarian Literary Society”.

Vasil Drumev, a real and honorary member and founder of the Society, became library manager for six months. He created an inventory of 43 pages, that was the first inventory book of the Society’s literature holdings. From the middle of 1873 the Society clerk Todor Peev became the library keeper. He enlarged the international relations with French cultural and scientific institutions.

In December, after the Liberation of Bulgaria, the Library was transferred from Braila to Sofia by Todor Ikonomov – an associate and full-time member and correspondent of the Society and also a representative of the Department of Enlightenment. The library collections encompass 4 026 items, from which 2 761 books and 1 265 periodicals.

In July the library and the archive were settled in Sofia.

The National Library donated 149 books, personally selected by Vasil Zlatarski and Todor Peev. Georgi Zlatarski, a full member, was elected as a librarian of the Temporary Management Committee.

Creation of the first alphabetic card catalogue, so the first index-card catalogue, of the literature collections. Started also the book get out with “a receipt”.

Because of the received by exchange “Periodical journal of the Bulgarian Literary Society”, was created a special department about Bulgaria in the reference collection of the Vatican Apostolic Library.

Aleksander Todorov-Balan, a correspondent and full-time member, was elected as a library keeper of the Society. The library collections were rearranged and “any important and contemporary writings” were displayed in “a view sight”.

The periodicals were bound. The personal libraries, received as a gift, were arranged in separate collections. The Library was transferred to a new place, which had been especially furnished.

After the transformation of the Society into Bulgarian Academy of Science (BAS), the Library was renamed into Library of BAS. Beginning of the legal deposit of materials (or their copies) of all the members of BAS. The library collections encompass 7 460 items.

Creation of a partial systematic catalogue, according the system of F. Zoeneken.

The first part-time librarian was employed in order to arrange the collections.

The writer Racho Petrov was employed as the first full-time librarian – library manager. The Library was transferred in a new building.

There was created a new alphabetical catalogue, named main catalogue.

The library was located in special premises of the newly constructed building of the Academy, where it still remains.

Accomplished the shelf-mark arrangement and the organization of the collections.

First attempt for a subject catalogue.                   

Opening of a reading-room of BAS for professors and students, thanks to the donation of Prof. Stefan Panaretov. According to his will, the reading room was named after him.

According to BAS Management Committee was organized a Commission to create “An Instruction for the reading room “Academician Stefan Panaretov”. This commission included Stoyan Argirov, a full member and treasurer of the Academy and Library, Yurdan Trifonov, a full member, and Ivan Peev-Plachkov.

Establishment of the first Library Committee of four scientists with chairman corresponding member Stoyan Romanski. According to a decision of the Management Committee there was made check-up of the library collections and so it was established that they encompass 44 098 volumes. The creation of the first topographic catalogue on the base of the alphabetical (main) catalogue. Organization of a card-index of lending forms, arranged by the date of book ordered in the service for home reading.

Establishment of a new alphabetic catalogue of the books, the first alphabetic catalogue of the periodicals, the first card-index of the dictionaries and encyclopedias. Creation of the first card-index of articles by members of BAS, published in different academic editions.

The first branch book collection was created at the Bulgarian Dictionary Office, a research unit of BAS.

Evacuation of the library collections in the village of Bistritsa, Sofia district, and was saved from destruction during the bombing of Sofia in 1944.

The library collections were retransferred in the building of BAS and the Library was reopened for readers.

The Library became a deposit institution for the national publications. Creation of special libraries at the Academy’s units and of special libraries network in BAS. Prof. Elena Savova was elected as the first director of the Library.

Acquiring statute of Central Library of the library network in BAS. Beginning of the specialization of the collections, centralized acquisition and catalogization. Creation of general alphabetic and systematic catalogues.

The Central Library became a research institute of BAS. Creation of a central geographic catalogue of the periodical collections, published in Bulgaria and abroad.

New form of service – weekly exhibitions of the new literature.

Creation of the following departments: “Institute Libraries”, “Reference and Bibliography” and “International Book Exchange”.

Organization of the collections of old printed books, dissertations, cartographic, musical and graphic publications. Beginning of the interlibrary services and the international interlibrary loan. Publication of the special series “Special bibliography“ and “Biobibliographies of Bulgarian Scientists“.

The Central Library became a national Special Bibliography Centre. Establishment of the first Coordination Committee for Acquisition.

Creation of the department “Scientific and technical information and documentation”.

Beginning the publication of Proceedings of the Central Library of the BAS.

The Central Library acquired the statute of a research institute of library science, special bibliography and scientific information in the fields of natural, mathematical and social sciences.

Till 1992 the Central Library was included in the structure of the scientific unit “Centre for scientific information with Central Library and Scientific Archive”.

Beginning of the publication of “Problems of the Special Libraries”.

Beginning of the library and bibliographical processes automation.

Assoc. Prof. Dincho Krastev was elected as a director. Acquiring the statute of a legal deposit library of the World Bank editions. First access to Internet.

Creation of the department “Automation of the library and bibliographic processes”.

Creation of a local computer network.

The official website of the Central Library was launched – http://www.cl.bas.bg.

Creation of new organizational structure of the Central Library. Creation of the department “Information Resources Management” and section “Foreign Bulgarian Studies”. Beginning of the publication of the edition Bulgarian Studies/Bulgarica.

On the 22^nd April was concluded a contract with the Israeli company ExLibris LtD to buy the integrated automated library system ALEPH500.

Introducing the automated system ALEPH500. Six months trial period.

On the 2^nd January was launched the integrated automated library system ALEPH500. Cataloguing of all the newly acquired library documents according to the format MARC21 (Machine Readable Catalogue21) and AACR2 (Anglo-American Cataloging Rules.2 ed.). Data exchange with different libraries in the world – the Library of Congress, the British Library, Russian State Library, the Centre for digital and information services in Israel etc. Beginning of the first whole inventory of the library documents in the Central Library.

Beginning of the retro conversion of the library documents of the Central Library. The Central Library became a methodical centre for the distribution of the format MARC21 in Bulgaria. Building of the electronic catalogue of library documents from the collections of the Sofia History Museum on the base of the automated library system BASLIB. In December started the digitalization of the microfilms of Slavonic manuscripts, received by the British Library.

Started a joint project “Machine readable description and catalogue of the medieval manuscripts” of the Central Library with the Institute for Literature of BAS and the British Library. Started the cataloguing of the copies – micro films, photo copies, CD, DVD, medieval Slavonic manuscripts, stored in different libraries in Bulgaria, Great Britain and Russia and their presentation in the electronic catalogue of the Central Library. Beginning of the retro conversion of the library documents in the BAS special libraries.

Expansion of the logical data base of microfilms of Slavonic manuscripts with Greek, Serbian, Russian, Romanian, Latin, Georgian, Armenian, Jewish materials etc. Organization of a project for the presentation of the art collections of different Bulgarian museums on the web page of BAS, made on the basis of the automated library system BASLIB. Started the creation of a data base of academicians, corresponding members and honorary members of BAS (1869-2008).

Contract for collaboration with Online Computer Library Center (WORLDCAT). Transfer to the version 16 of ALEPH500. Started the development of the digital library of copies of Slavonic manuscripts. Becinning of the retroconversion of the collections of Bulgarian periodicals 1844-1944. Started the electronic publication of “Information Bulletin of the Central Library of BAS”. The interface of the union catalogue of BAS libraries was translated in Bulgarian.

Final of the retro conversion of the library documents from the personal collection of Felix Kanitz and the books from the reading room “Academician Stefan Panaretov”. Started the retro conversion of the collections of old printed books 1806-1878 and the Russian imperial books 1700-1917. Started the digitalization of the collections of old printed books 1806-1878 from the Central Library’s collections.

Started the scanning of the Bulgarian old printed editions till 1878.

Creation of a trilingual web site about the Bulgarian part of the archive of the Italian Slav scholar and polyglot Luigi Salvini.

Started the digitalization of the Bulgarian periodicals 1844-1944. Creation of the first 300 digital objects – 300 old printed books from the collections of the Central Library.

Started the digitalization of the collection “Felix Kanitz”, preserved in the Central Library.

Final of the retro conversion of the library documents in the Central Library and the BAS special libraries. Final of the digitalization of 700 old printed books 1806-1878, preserved in the Central Library.