May 27 — Librarian's Day: history and traditions of the Book Keepers' holiday, greetings and postcards

Every year on May 27, Russia celebrates Librarian's Day, a celebration of representatives of this profession, as well as book experts, literary critics and fans of reading. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Tuesday. Read about the traditions associated with him and how to congratulate a library employee in the Izvestia article.

Librarian's Day in 2025: date and history of the holiday

The first library of Ancient Russia, information about which has reached our days, was created by Prince Yaroslav the Wise in 1037. The collection of books and manuscripts was kept in St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. There is no exact information about which works were included in it, as the collection has not been preserved. Presumably, these were liturgical books, the lives of saints, various encyclopedic publications and writings in several languages.

In the 12th and 14th centuries, libraries worked mainly at monasteries and temples. Books were very expensive, and only very rich people and organizations such as the church could afford several volumes. Personal meetings were held only by princes and the highest clergy.

During the time of Ivan the Terrible, printing technologies appeared in Russia, which served as a serious impetus for the development of librarianship. By the end of the century, there were already about 260-350 thousand volumes in the country's book collection. By that time, the tradition of compiling monastic library collections had also been formed.

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By the end of the 17th century, the first specialized libraries appeared in Russia. They worked at the Printing Yard, Pushkarsky and Aptekarsky orders and in other departments. It contained professional literature for the employees of these institutions.

Peter I's reforms made a significant contribution to the development of libraries in Russia. Together with the Kunstkamera, he founded the Library of the Academy of Sciences, which opened its doors to everyone at certain hours. And on May 27, 1795, Empress Catherine II approved the construction project of the Imperial Public Library, the country's first cultural institution where fans of reading from any class could come.

Since the 19th century, libraries have been commonplace in schools, universities, and even military units. However, librarianship reached its greatest heyday during the Soviet Union, when literacy and the ability to read became a prerequisite for every citizen of the country. And in 1995, by order of the President of Russia, Librarian's Day was established. The reason for this was the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Imperial State Library, which is now called the Russian National Library.

Today, libraries are not just places to store books and read in silence. Many institutions host workshops, themed evenings, lectures, meetings with writers, mini-performances for children, quests and quizzes. In large cities, libraries are also equipped with electronic databases and catalogs that allow you to quickly find and book the necessary works.

Traditions of the Librarian's Day holiday

Librarians often celebrate their professional holiday with their colleagues. On the holiday, thematic meetings dedicated to the history of librarianship and writing in Russia are held for readers. In the evening, some employees of cultural institutions go to a restaurant or arrange a tea party with a cake at the workplace.

Happy Librarian's Day: the best greetings and postcards

On Librarian's Day, congratulations are accepted by all the staff of the reading rooms. On this holiday, it is important to support the perpetrators of the celebration with warm words, because they preserve invaluable knowledge in order to pass it on to the next generations. Librarians are most often wished health, productive work, inspiration and optimism. This can be done like this:

"Congratulations on your professional holiday! Books are treasures of knowledge, and thanks to you, dear librarians, everyone can become the owner of these untold riches. I wish you good health, creative success, warmth and grateful readers. May every day be filled with joy!"

"Happy Librarian's Day, dear colleagues! Thanks to you, the library has become a place where you want to come back again and again to relax your soul and discover something new and wonderful. I wish you happiness, love, prosperity and undying enthusiasm in the development of our common cause!"

"I sincerely congratulate you on Librarian's Day! I wish you to always stay energetic and positive. Charge visitors with a thirst for knowledge, delight the world with your smile, and don't forget to take time to take care of yourself. May the shelves always be full of new works, and may readers always deliver books on time."

Earlier, Izvestia told how the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture is celebrated in Russia.