The Kropyvnytskyi Regional Universal Research Library (RURL) is one of the oldest research libraries in Ukraine and the largest in the region. The library was named after D.I. Chyzhevskyi. It has universal books and documents on traditional and modern media. It houses collections of precious and rare publications and is the depositary of publications on local lore.
Library History
1889.......... - Citizens of Yelisavetgrad request the Internal Affairs Ministry to establish a public Library January 1, 1897.......... - Public appeal to city mayor O. M. Pashutin for permission to hold a meeting for the library status approval. April 19, 1897 .......... - First general meeting of the founders of the public library. First Library Board is elected. July 17, 1897.......... - Approval of the Elisavetgrad public library status. February 2 (February,15) 1899 - First public library opens on the corner of Ingulska St. and Dvirtseva St. It works as a reading parlor. March 19, 1899.......... - Library starts to lend books to readers. September 1, 1900 .......... - Public library moves to the S. K. Ostrouhov House on Great Perspective Street. 1904.......... - Establishment of commission for books acquisition. 1909.......... - Making a decision on construction special premises for the library. 1911.......... - Making a decision on creating card catalog for readers. 1918.......... - Establishing a book store on Dvirtseva St. in implementation of the decree of November 29, 1918 "On the requisition of libraries, book stores and books in general." 1919.......... - Creation of a County department of Public Education in Elisavetgrad. March 1, 1920 .......... - Elisavetgrad Central Library opens on Decembrists Street. Jakov Illich Lyubarsky is elected Head of the Central Library. 1921.......... - Creation of Gubernia Accounting and Distribution Committees (Gurki) at provincial Departments of Education. 1922.......... - “Regulation on the Unified Library Network of the Republic" is adopted. Under this regulation the library network receives official operating approval. The library also begins receiving a mandatory (statutory) copy of all printed documents. 1923.......... - Library is allowed to sell doublets of publication copies and to use money from their realization for acquisition. In connection with the reorganization of Elisavetgrad County into Elisavetgrad district Library is renamed Elisavetgrad District Central Library. 1924.......... - Yelisavetgrad is renamed to Zinov'yevsk. Library changes name to Zinov'yevska District library. June 9, 1926.......... - Per the order of the Zinov'yevsk County Executive Committee of the Council of Workers, Peasants and Red Army Deputies from 04.06.1926, No. 5153, the library is renamed into N. K. Krupskaya District Central Library. 1929.......... - CPSU (b) adopts the Resolution "On the improvement of Library Work" (October 30, 1929). To its implementation unfolds "Library Campaign" aimed at "funds cleansing" and repressive actions against librarians, the so-called "enemies of people”. 1932.......... - The library starts providing interlibrary loan services. 1937.......... - Library bears the name N. K. Krupskaya Odessa Regional City Central Library, city of Kirov. 1939.......... - Kirovohrad region is formed under The Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 10 January 1939. Kirov is renamed into Kirovohrad. The Central City Library begins to function as the regional library and is renamed into N. K. Krupskaya Kirovohrad Regional Library. August 5, 1941.......... - Kirovohrad is occupied by German troops 1941.......... - Kosovs’ka Inna Sergiyvna acts as Library Director January 1, 1942 .......... - Eugene Belinsky is appointed Library Director January 8, 1944 .......... - Kirovohrad is freed from Nazi occupation January 15, 1944 .......... - Inna Kosovo is appointed Director of N. K. Krupskaya Regional Library by the Regional Library Order No. 1 May 1, 1944.......... - Library re-opens its doors to readers 1945.......... - Establishment of the Department of Cultural and Educational work 1946.......... - The library receives assistance from the Government Fund in Moscow–in the form of 5631 books March 1947 .......... - The USSR Council of Ministers adopts the Resolution "On Measures for Strengthening Regional and Rural libraries" 1947.......... - The Regional Committee of the Ukrainian CP (b) adopts the resolution "On Strengthening Cultural-Educational Institutions" July 1947 .......... - O. Solovyov is named Library Director 1948.......... - Library participates in the Socialist Competition with the Poltava and Odessa libraries 1949.......... - Library was deprived of the mandatory copy March 1950.......... - Per the USSR Council of Ministers Order No. 1490 from 3 December 1947, the Library establishes 11-month courses for preparing librarians to work in district libraries 1951.......... - The Library again starts to receive gratuitous all-union mandatory book copies 1952.......... - Apprentice training of librarians for rural libraries on the basis of N. Krupskaya Regional library is officially approved August 10, 1955 .......... - Nalyvaiko E.I. is appointed N. K. Krupskaya Library Director by the Department of Culture order June 1957.......... - Patent department is established at Kirovohrad N. Krupskaya Regional Library 1959.......... - 284 libraries of the region implement a new form of service - open access to books and documents 1960.......... - In connection with implementing a new system of books classification librarians carry out modifications to the systematic catalog May 18, 1960 .......... - Order of the library director canceled collecting mortgage for the books from readers of the Regional N. K. Krupskaya Library January 1962 .......... - Library introduces unified library card service March 1, 1962 .......... - Departments of library interloan and correspondence loan are separated off the Book Storage Department into an independent unit 1965.......... - N. K. Krupskaya Regional Library closes its so-called "special literature fund" 1973.......... - Some structural changes take place. The Department of Foreign Literature opens at the library, with Ella Yanchukova as its head (from 1978 - Goncharova L.N heads this department) 1976.......... - Changes in the Library leadership. Up to 1976 Petro Pivnyak served as Library Director; from 1976 to 1983 - Maria Babenko served as Library Director 1978.......... - Two new structural units are formed: Department of Arts, headed by Ella Yanchukova, and Sector of Information on Cultural Affairs 1979.......... - The Library celebrates the 110th anniversary of the birth of N. K. Krupskaya - the Soviet political, cultural and party public figure, after whom the library is named. That same year, the Department of Arts makes a television show of the art magazine "Sources". The twelve programs promote books on art, prominent figures of the land, and art teams of the region 1980.......... - The Library introduced additional charged services. Library launches the Movie Club "Screen". 1982.......... - Library relocates into new premises on Karl Marx St., 24 February 1982 .......... - Demeschenko L. I. is appointed Library Director 1983.......... - Library establishes permanent exhibitions of paintings by Kirovohrad artists 1984.......... - Soviet-Bulgarian Friendship Room opens 1985.......... - Room for New Revenues is opened. In implementation of the decisions of the CPSU Central Committee "On Measures to Prevent Drunkenness and Alcoholism" unfolds extensive propaganda of literature on sober lifestyle. 1987.......... - Conversion of funds and directories to the new standards of Library-Bibliographical Classifications (LBC) System 1988.......... - Establishment of exhibitions of pre-revolutionary editions from the Library fund 1991.......... - Collapse of the Soviet Union January 1991 .......... - Library establishes Department of Local History and Rare Books August 1991 .......... - Library Director L. Demeschenko participates in the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) conference in Moscow March 1993.......... - The Library is renamed in honor of D. I. Chyzhevskyi October 1993.......... - Club “Pereveslo” renews its activity 1994.......... - The Library receives books from O. B. Ilyin collection April 1994.......... - Celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of D. I. Chyzhevskyi July 1994 .......... - Library Director L. Demeschenko is awarded the title "Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine" 1995.......... - Library receives financial assistance from the International Renaissance Foundation in support of the program "Language - Communication Without Borders" introduced by O. Harashchenko 1995.......... - Library joins the International Library Association 1996.......... - for the first time the automation library system IRBIS was used in Ukrainian language The automated library system IRBIS is used in the Ukrainian language for the first time June 1996.......... - Library staff participates in the Third International Conference "Libraries and Associations in a changing world: new technologies and new forms of cooperation" CRIMEA – 96” 1997.......... - The library establishes the Marketing, Advertising, and Coordination of Mass Work Department 1997.......... - The library introduces computer technologies for processing and description of documents March 1997.......... - The Library creates an electronic Library catalog 1998.......... - Literary club "Yevshan" is established August 1998 .......... - Olena Harashchenko is named Library Director 1998.......... - Two projects for modernizing library local computer network introduced by Volokhin A. and D. Yashchenko receive grants from the International Renaissance Foundation and Open Society Fund from Budapest 1998.......... - Library Web-site www.library.kr.ua is created 1998.......... - Library Prize named after D.Chyzhevskyi is established February 1999.......... - The Library celebrates its 100th anniversary and holds an international conference: "Libraries at the Turn of the Century" 1999.......... - Library joins the international mega-project "Pushkin Library", which is dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Pushkin 1999.......... - The first free video-lending department in Ukraine is opened in Department of Arts 1999.......... - Library subscribes to full-text electronic databases "EBSCO" and "SPRINGER” 1999.......... - Library hosts the international conference "Consolidation. Initiative. Creativity" as part of «10 +10 " project (a partnership between Ukraine and Latvia) 2000.......... - International Renaissance Foundation fund enables the creation of an Electronic Books Museum. The Program for Preservation of Library and Archives Funds of Kirovohrad region for 2000-2005 is adopted. Regional state administration Head issues an order "On providing D.I. Chyzhevskyi Regional Universal Research Library with mandatory free copies of documents published in the region". Library launches an electronic database on regional studies, and creates an Online Center for Cooperative Cataloging for Ukrainian libraries (CUCC). British Council in Ukraine opens an information center "British Corner. International Fund "Renaissance" enables creation of Electronic Books Museum. 2001.......... - Library launches new electronic databases "Music scores", "Documents on alternative media" implementation of the project of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine Information and Resource Center "Window on America" Library partners with U.S. Embassy in Ukraine for creating the Information and Resource Center "Window on America". Library participates in the mega project "Pushkin Library". The information centre for regional studies "Portal - Kirovohrad Region" opens at the library. 2002.......... The library: • Installs building ramps for people with special needs.