Women’s Role in the Foundation and Development of Private Libraries During the Second Half of the 19th and the Beginning of the 20th Centuries (Based on the Materials from the Upper Volga Area)

Abstract

The article deals with little-studied issues related to the role of women, who represented various social classes, in the foundation and development of private libraries in three provinces of the Upper Volga area during the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. As exemplified by the Vladimir, Kostroma and Yaroslavl Provinces, womens contribution to the foundation of libraries in both urban and rural areas has been studied. Based on numerous archival materials from todays Russian regions, the author concludes that private libraries founded upon womens initiative at the beginning of the 20th century were one of the significant components of the library realm in the Upper Volga area.