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The Belarusian Literature Reading Room (room 205) hosts the exhibition "The Forerunner of Belarusian Science" from January 11 to February 28, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Institute of Belarusian Culture (Inbelkult), the first diversified research institution in the history of Belarus, the predecessor of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.
The Institute of Belarusian Culture was established on January 30, 1922 on the initiative of the People's Commissar of Education of the BSSR Usievalad Ihnatouski, who became the first president of this institution. Inbelkult replaced the scientific-terminological commission, which worked on the development of Belarusian scientific terminology. In addition, Inbelkult had Belarusian, Jewish, Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian and other branches. Their activities were aimed at studying the ethnography, folklore, history and culture of the peoples concerned. The branches helped to open national schools, theatres and prepared anniversaries of prominent representatives of different nationalities.
A bibliographical commission headed by the first director of the Belarusian State and University Library (later the BSSR State Library named after V.I. Lenin, now the National Library of Belarus), Iosif Simanouski, headed by the future head of the Department of Belarusian Literature and Bibliography, Ju. Bibila, also worked at Inbelkult.
In their time Jauhim Karski, Iosif Liosik, Ivan Lucevich (Janka Kupala), Kanstancin Mickievich (Jakub Kolas), Sciapan Niekrashevich, Zmicier Zhilunovich, Ivan. Zamocin, Vaclau Lastouski, Uladzimir Picheta, Arkadz Smolich and others were members of the Institute of Belarusian Culture.
About 150 publications are on display, the majority of which are Inbelkult publications. The books presented include "Belarusian Scientific Terminology", "Belarusian Archive", "Horki District Description", "400th Anniversary of the Belarusian Printing", "Viciebsk Regional Dictionary" by Mikalaj Kaspiarovich, "Dialects of the Eastern Districts of the Homiel Province in Their Current State" by Paviel Rastarhujeu, "Belarusian Architecture in the 11th-13th Centuries" by Mikalaj Shchakacikhin and many others.
The exhibition is illustrated with photographs and supplemented by up-to-date publications on the scientific activities of the Inbelkult.
The opening hours of the exhibition correspond to the library’s opening hours.
Admission is by the library card or by the Social and Cultural Centre ticket.
The books presented at the exhibition can be ordered through the electronic catalogue of the National Library of Belarus.
For more info: (+375 117) 293 27 16.
Special Collections Service Department.
