In Viktor Sokolov’s article "Publication of auction catalogs as a component of the formation of public auctions of antique books and the formation of book culture in Ukraine at the end of the 18th – at the beginning of the 21st century in the context of the global development of book auctions" on the basis of the analysis of primary sources and materials of scientific publications, the development of book auctions in the 17th–21st centuries is characterized in some leading countries of the world. The place and significance of publishing auction catalogs in the development of book printing and book trade in Ukraine in the 18th–21st centuries is analyzed. The importance of studying and highlighting the publication of auction catalogs for historical and bibliographic and historical and librarian studies has been clarified and substantiated. The purpose of the proposed article is to analyze and characterize the peculiarities of the formation and development of the publication of auction catalogs in the context of the formation of book auctions on the territory of Ukraine in the 18th–21st centuries against the background of the development of the antiquarian book trade at auctions in some developed countries of the world, as well as the study of the specifics of the creation, functioning and significance of auction catalog editions for historical-bibliographic and historical-library studies. The methodological basis of the proposed work was structural-functional and systemic approaches. In his work, the author widely used general scientific and historical research methods: comparison, analogy, deduction, induction, analysis; descriptive, analytical, typological methods, as well as historical-comparative, historical-genetic, historical-typological, chronological and other methods of scientific research. The scientific novelty of the study consists in expanding ideas about the features of creation, publication and functioning of auction catalogs of book auctions; in identifying and characterizing specific signs of the development of the publication of auction catalogs in the territory of Ukraine; in elucidating the essence of the concept of “auction catalog of book auctions” and in substantiating the importance of their study and significance in the activities of specialized divisions of leading libraries, as well as in the development of historical-bibliographic and library research. Conclusions. Auction catalogs are usually heavily illustrated and offer detailed descriptions of rare books, manuscripts, and other documents offered at book auction that may have significant bibliographic and bibliophile value. Highlighting the trends and peculiarities of the development of the book trade in some developed countries of the world and the analysis of auction catalogs printed on the territory of Ukraine made it possible to conclude that at the end of the 18th century there was a need to prepare and conduct auctions on the territory of the country, to establish the principles and organizational rules of their activity, which depended on the level and nature of the organization of the book trade, local cultural and educational needs, the level of development of the spheres of science, education and culture, on the nature and peculiarities of the domestic policies of the governments of the sovereign states in certain regions of Ukraine. The further development of book auctions in Ukraine shows their increasing differentiation and consistent progress. The proposed periodization of the formation of book auctions on the territory of Ukraine testifies to the sequence of origin and natural development of the auction trade in antique books in the country. However, the identified historical periods and stages of formation and the characteristics of their development indicate certain difficulties and contradictions in the evolution of both book auctions and the organization of publication of auction catalogs. The specifics of the development of book auctions and the publication of auction catalogs on the territory of Ukraine are determined by significant fluctuations in the rates of their quantitative and qualitative growth during a certain period of development. Only in the conditions of the development of independent statehood, in the country at the turn of the 20th–21st centuries, the sustainable development of book auctions according to the Western European model takes place. The holding of two specialized book auctions of ancient Ukrainian books in Ukraine in 2016 shows that a certain steady demand for ancient Ukrainian books has already formed; that compatriots became more interested in the history of their country and appreciated the objects of its cultural heritage. However, this development of book auctions in the country is hindered by the lack of a regulatory framework for the auction book trade, the lack of a clear scheme for the examination and evaluation of antique books, a system of encouraging its collection, the insufficiency of spreading and raising the level of book culture, proper promotion of the role and importance of books in society in general. The characteristics of the development of book auctions show that under favorable conditions for the progress of library work, proper financing of activities and development of libraries, book auctions can serve as one of the sources of stocking specialized funds of leading libraries (primarily national) with old prints, manuscripts and other types of rare and valuable books as well as a certain way of freeing libraries from unnecessary duplicates. The sale of morally outdated editions, duplicates of ancient books allows the library to make room for new incomes, and also provides significant funds, which are needed by book collections to replenish the fund with new editions, equipment, etc. The analysis and characteristics of editions of auction catalogs that were created on the territory of Ukraine shows that the origin and development of book auctions in the country took place in accordance with the general laws and global trends of the evolution of book auctions: the correspondence of the scale, features and principles of the organization of book auctions to the level of development of the domestic book printing, book trade and general development of book culture; the dependence of indicators of quantitative characteristics of book auctions on the scale and pace of development of the book and library business, the spheres of science, education and culture as a whole; the connection of the development of specialization and species differentiation of the book trade with the characteristic features of the growth of book trade needs, the level and uniqueness of requests of certain categories of readers, bibliophiles, collectors, as well as the specifics of the activities of certain cultural and educational institutions. Auction catalogs, in addition to providing information about the interests and financial capabilities of booksellers, about the publishing aspirations of publishers, allow to determine the branch, language, geographical and other features of publications; their types and species; ways of distribution and residence; quantitative characteristics of distribution of individual publications; changes in the external form of the book; the material value of the book and the factors on which it depended; and also reflect many features of the book auction itself, its features, rules and principles.
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