Specialised collection of Library Studies

Size and Content

This is a unique collection for our country that contains more than 16,000 volumes of monographic publications and valuable reference books, and over 100 titles of specialised periodicals in the field of library studies, bibliography, book studies, publishing studies and scientific information. The collection also includes: statistical documentation of the regional and district libraries in Bulgaria; reports and guides of foreign national libraries; library standards; materials of international library organisations / The International Federation of Library Associations and others/; materials from library forums and conferences: reports from business trips of the library staff abroad.

History

In 1957 a normative act on the tasks and structure of the National Library was issued, according to which the library was assigned functions related to providing methodological assistance to different types of libraries in the country. In order to have a solid foundation for the accomplishment of this task, a reading room specialised in library studies was opened in the Scientific and Methodical Centre set up at that time. Over the years a constant influx of current publications of libraries and library institutions has been provided, books and periodicals have been systematically acquired through interlibrary loan, purchase and subscription. Until 1993, the Reading room was part of the National Library’s Scientific and Methodological Centre, since 2007 became an independent sector in the Special Collections Division and today functions as an important information unit in the field of library science.

Catalogues

A system of catalogues and index cards for the respective types of editions is maintained, with special attention being paid to the systematic catalogue of the articles, which analytically presents the entire collection of periodicals on library studies and some of the digests.

Access

The collection is used by research fellows and scholars, by professors at Library colleges and departments, by many professionals in the field of library studies. It is displayed in Reading room No 7 of the National Library and is open to the patrons from 8:30 to 17:00, Monday to Friday. Part of the coordination activity, related to the provision of expert and consultancy assistance to the libraries in the country, takes place in the reading room.