History of the library

“Sava Dobroplodni” Regional Library – Sliven celebrated its 50 anniversary on 1-2 December 2005. Fifty years – it is a mature age for people’s life. For the library – those were years of development and strengthening its position. A space of time in which its book funds became numerous, different types of bearers of information were kept, its functions and responsibilities changed, its role in the cultural life of Sliven, of the region and of the country became very important and it acquired an European image. The most important dates in its history are:

1955

The library was establishes as a State library by a government decree;

February 11, 1955

By Decision № 58 of the Town national council of Sliven, the Committee placed at the Town State Library’s disposal so called “house of goblins”;

June 23, 1956

The library started operating, placing at readers’ disposal 8 000 books and 20 periodicals;

1956

The first meeting with a Bulgarian writer-the writer Kamen Kalchev, was organized in the library;

1958

After the new administrative reconstruction of the country the library became a regional library and obtained new functions and responsibilities;

1959

The beginning of library’s publishing activity was laid;

1965

A new form of servicing readers was put into operation – a free access of readers to the book funds;

1968 - 1972

 A reconstruction and a modernization of the library’s building was made. An enlargement of the library was built.

February 10, 1972

The enlargement of the library was inaugurated;

1976

The children’s department was placed in its own building in the yard of “Vasil Levski” elementary school;

May 21, 1982

By government decree № 1266 “Georgi Kirkov” Regional Library was awarded “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” I class order;

1987

The library got the statute of a Universal scientific library;

1991 – 1992

The library was entirely repaired;

1992

By Sliven Municipal council’s decree the library got the name of the eminent writer of the Bulgarian national revival Sava Dobroplodni;

1993

A project for automation of the main library-bibliographical processes was put into effect in the library;

1994

 A new children’s department located in the building of the former Musical school was inaugurated;

1995

The library became a depository library of school, scientific-popular and children’s literature;

1995

A centre, helping English learning process was established in the library by the help of the British council-Sofia;

1996

The library got a free Internet access as a result of the Bulgarian-Norwegian project Sliven –Tornhaim;

May 25-28, 1999

The Ist National Children’s Book Festival organized by “Sava Dobroplodni” Regional Library with the support of the Ministry of culture took place in Sliven for the first time and became an yearly festival;

1999

The library put into effect a project sponsored by the Euro-Bulgarian fund for development of arts and the PHARE program BG 9606;

1999

An electronic reading-room was opened in the library with a free Internet access and 6 computers for users;

May 9 – 11, 2000

The IInd National Children’s Book Festival was held;

June, 2000

The library was awarded the National “Hristo G.Danov-2000” prize – for achievements in the development of the Bulgarian literary culture in section “Presentation of Bulgarian books”;

July 1, 2000

By government decree 153/dated July 28, 2000 the library became a regional one for Sliven and Yambol regions;

2001

The library took part in a project “Multi-cultural integration of foreigners and the role of European libraries” /in partnership with libraries from Germany, Holland, Finland and Greece/;

May 9 – 10, 2001

The IIIrd National Children’s Book Festival was held;

May 9 – 10, 2002

The IVth National Children’s Book Festival was held;

2003

By a Decision of the High Court of Cassation in the Republic of Bulgaria the claims for restitution of the building were declined and the library kept its building;

May 8 – 9, 2003

The Vth National Children’s Book Festival was held;

2003 – 2004

The library took part in international project in cooperation with the libraries of Pecs /Hungary/and Dunajska streda /Slovakia/;

2003

A project in partnership with the Institute for international co-operation at the Association of German national universities for education and obtaining of Xpert and Xpert Хpert и Хpert Master European computer certificate started;

May 10– 12, 2004

The VIth National Children’s Book Festival was held;

2004

A national “Konstantin Konstantinov” award for achievements in the book publishing for children in four groups was established during the days of the National Children’s Book Festival;

2004

The library was awarded a medal and a diploma by the international festival “Zmaevje dechjeigre” /Novi Sad, Serbia and Monte Negro/;

2005

A regional Euro desk center started working in the library as a result of project on “Youth” program of the EU /a continuing project/;

2005

A project „Еuropean Union Through Children's Eyes” on the communicative strategy of Bulgarian government for joining Bulgaria to the European Union was put into effect by the library;

2005

A project „Bulgarian fiction in our libraries” - sponcored by Bulgarian Ministry of culture, was implemented;

2005

An international project LITTLE started, in which the library is the only partner from Bulgaria;

2005

International project „Young people from Czech republic and Bulgaria together in the footstpes of Cyril and Methodius in Great Moravia”

was implemented– sponcored by „Youth“ program of EU

2005

On project „Beautiful Bulgaria” the facade wasrepaired;

May 9– 11, 2005

The VIIth National Children’s Book Festival was held;

December 1-2, 2005

 The library celebrated its 50 anniversary.

December 1, 2005

The library was awarded by the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture with an honorary emblem and a diploma ”For significan contribution to

the library work in Bulgaria”

January 27, 2006

The initiative „Friday literary readings” started

2006

A project „Bulgarian fiction in our libraries” - sponcored by Bulgarian Ministry of culture, was implemented;

May 8– 10, 2006

The VIIIth National Children’s Book Festival was held;

2006 – 2007

The library took part in the international project „European literary marathon”- sponcored by program „Culture” of ЕU

2006 – 2007

The library took part in the international project  MOVIE „  Make One Visual Idea of Europe” - sponcored by ЕU and

Conpagnia san Paolo/Italy;

2007

A project „Bulgarian libraries – information centers” - sponcored by Bulgarian Ministry of culture, was implemented;

Jnauary 6 , 2007

The library was awarded the National award „Benefactor of the year – 2006” in section „Libraries/community centres”

May 9,  2007

European literary marathon was held in the frames of ELM project;

May 8– 11, 2007

The IXth National Children’s Book Festival was held;

October 1, 2007

Groundbreaking for building an extension of the llibrary - sponcored by state and municipal budget;

2008

A project „Bulgarian libraries – information centers” - sponcored by Bulgarian Ministry of culture, was implemented;

May 7– 9, 2008

The Xth National Children’s Book Festival was held;

2008

A project  „Gianni Rodari – my theatre” – sponcored by the Italian culture institute – Sofia and Bulgarian Ministry of culture was implemented;

November 20, 2008

The library took part in the establishment of an Association of the children's festivals

for literature on the Balkans /Bar, Montenegro/;

2008 – 2013

 The library started participating in the project  „Global Libraries – Bulgaria” – sponcored by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation;

May 7– 9, 2009

The XIth National Children’s Book Festival was held;

2009

The project  „How to provoke children's interest  in reading. A Workshop in reading” – sponcored by the Italian culture institute – Sofia

and Bulgarian Ministry of culture- was implemented;

October 25, 2009

The extension of the library was officially opened;

December 1, 2009

The project „The library in help of the religious education” started;

May 10– 12, 2010

The XIIth National Children’s Book Festival was held;

 The most important moments in the library's existence,
its transformation into a significant temple of literature in the area of free dialogue, a part of the information society without borders, cultural center with an European vision were found and classified in relation with the celebration of 50 anniversary of the library. 

Although limited in dates it is the first chronicle which is a more comprehensive attempt to describe history, to understand and reconsider it. And if for the first years of its existence the focuses on its individual activities are not so many, the reason is not that we concider they are less significant, but because of faded memories and lack of reliable information.