«…MILITARY LIBRARIES, BESIDES OFFICERS THEMSELVES, MUST SERVE THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL»

Abstract

The book plays an important role in a human life, especially in childhood, shaping his intellectual and moral potential. Due to the lack of research on forming collections of literature for children in military libraries for officers, the author has appeared to be the first in domestic library science to consider these libraries’ catalogues of book collections for to reveal information about books for children. The purpose of this study is quantitative and qualitative analysis of publications for collections of literature for children in libraries for the Russian Army officer. Objectives of the study are: 1) to calculate absolute and relative indicators of availability of publications for children in the libraries for officers; 2) to determine reasons for the small number of departments for children; 3) to identify and analyze the legal basis for using collections of military libraries for officers by members of military personnel families. The article uses source studying and comparative methods of research. The work bases on a wide representative source foundation – with the involvement of the main normative and legal documents, which clearly regulated the admission of family members of officers and officials, including children, to libraries at military assemblies, and catalogues of military officer libraries’ books for different years. According to this study results, children’s departments accounted for between 0.6 and 6.6% of officer libraries book collections. The article details the repertoire of children’s departments (they contained works by both Russian and foreign authors). The reasons for the small number of children’s departments of officer libraries and the peculiarities of their recruitment with literature for children have been identified and analyzed. This study results have expanded the understanding of military officer libraries book collections and their role in the officers and their family members’ lives.