National Library of the Republic of Mordovia named after A. S. Pushkin Национальная библиотека имени А. С. Пушкина Республики Мордовия

Overview

The National Library of the Republic of Mordovia named after A. S. Pushkin (Russian: Национальная библиотека имени А. С. Пушкина Республики Мордовия) is the largest library in the Republic of Mordovia, a federal subject of the Russian Federation. Located in Saransk, the capital of Mordovia, it serves as the central public library institution of the republic and holds the principal collection of materials relating to Mordovian history, culture, and regional scholarship. The library is an affiliate of the Republic of Mordovia government and acts as the Book Chamber for the republic, collecting and registering all publications produced within Mordovia.

History and Founding

The library was established in 1860, making it one of the older regional libraries in the Volga region of Russia. It has evolved significantly through the Soviet period and into the post-Soviet era. As the central state library for what became the Mordovian Autonomous Oblast in 1930 and the Mordovian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1934, it has served as the primary repository for materials in the Russian, Erzya, and Moksha languages—the three principal languages of the republic. The archive for local press was established within the National Library in 1948. Since 1958, the library has fulfilled the functions of the Book Chamber of Mordovia, publishing letopisi pechati (chronicles of publications) for the republic since 1959. The library is named in honor of Alexander Pushkin, Russia's foremost literary figure.

Collections and Holdings

The library's collections encompass a broad range of materials relevant to Mordovian regional history, culture, and scholarship. Holdings include publications in Russian, Erzya, Moksha, and other languages, as well as regional newspapers such as Mokshen pravda (1921, in Moksha), Erzian pravda (1921, in Erzya), Sovetskaia Mordovia (1918, in Russian), and Molodoi leninets (1939, in Russian). Literary journals include Siatko (1929, in Erzya) and Moksha (1928, in Moksha). The library holds an online library catalog enabling bibliographic search.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

As the Book Chamber of Mordovia, the library archives all publications produced within the republic, including newspapers in Russian, Erzya, and Moksha languages. The press archive, established in 1948, makes the library a primary repository for the history of journalism and publishing in Mordovia, including minority-language media representing the Erzya and Moksha Mordovian peoples.

Access and Usage

The library is located at 26 B. Khmelnitsky Street, Saransk. It serves as a public library open to residents of the republic as well as visiting researchers. The online catalog is accessible through the national platform for Finno-Ugric libraries. Contact can be made by email or by visiting the library in person.