“SAVA DOBROPLODNI” REGIONAL LIBRARY CELEBRATED ITS 50 ANNIVERSARY

“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.

            “Sava Dobroplodni” Regional Library  today is a modern cultural, scientific and informative centre, which carries out its activities in Sliven and Yambol regions, which combines traditions and innovation in its  everyday activities, the status quo and its dynamic constructive change. It is a centre in which epochs and ideas cross – a real spiritual universe and a space of free dialogues and a part of the informative society without borders by the free Internet access and the new informative technologies. It is also the dream for the Babylon library and the reality of virtual forms. It is a place where the acts of national identity and European commensurability rationalize by the library’s international initiatives and projects and the National Children’s Book Festival which has been organized yearly since 1999.

The jubilee celebrations were opened on December 1, with a scientific conference, dedicated to Sava Dobroplodni’s life and work. More than 20 research from Bulgarian Academy of Sciences /Institute for literature/, Sofia University, Plovdiv University, Shoumen University, Thracian University – Stara Zagora, “Ivan Vazov” National Library-Plovdiv, the regional libraries of Veliko Tarnovo and Sliven, State archive –Sliven, Dr. Djordje Ignjatovich /Belgrade, Serbia/ and Dr. Drago Negovan /Novi Sad, Serbia/ took part in it and read their reports. All participants in the conference and guests received “A symposium of reports” and “Sava Dobroplodni” bio-bibliography, compiled by Rositsa Petrova-Vasileva and published by the financial help of the National books centre at the Ministry pf culture.  Especially for its jubilee the library published a bibliography “50 years Regional library”, a chronicle of the library and a jubilee newspaper, which were presented by the literary critic Maria Gareva. The guests were surprised by a unique calendar with drawings from Sliven of famous Bulgarian painters accompanied by texts of the writers Atanas Slavov, Petya Alexandrova, Damyan Damyanov, Konstantin Konstantinov, Dimitar Gundov, Radoi Ralin, Nadya Nedelina, Elisaveta Bagriana, Dobri Nemirov and the historiographer Simeon Tabakov dedicated to Sliven. Many writers and publishers took part in the events of the celebrations’ program. Victor Paskov’s book “A post mortem of a love story” was presented. An exhibition of children’s drawings on topic: “My library” was opened. On the meeting of the generations many former workers, who gave their experience for the prosperity of the largest books depository in Sliven region, and present workers of the library met in Sliven. The culmination of the celebrations was the concerts which presenter was the actor Dimitar Rachkov.  Twenty eminent persons – politics, public figures, cultural figures and publishers with a contribution to library’s development were awarded diplomas and memorial symbols / a bronze plastic sculpture/ on the concert.  Amongst the guests of the celebrations were Mrs. Nadejda Zagharieva – a vice-minister of culture, Mrs. Antoaneta Ginina – Ministry of culture, Mr. Igor Chipev – a director of the National book centre at the Ministry of culture, Mr. Jordan Lechkov – a mayor of Sliven, the governor of Sliven region – Mr. Radostin Kojchev, Dr. Drago Negovan – a director of the Museums of in Novi Sad and Sremski Karlovtsi /Serbia/, Velimir Kostov – a director of “Brotherhood” Publishing house /Nish, Serbia/, publishers, library specialists from Bulgaria, politics, public figures and citizens.

The celebration of the 50 anniversary of “Sava Dobroplodni” Regional Library – Sliven is a celebration of its necessary and successful presence in the public and the cultural life of Sliven, of the region and of Bulgaria.