20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

On track of a libraryfrom Bessarabia of the 19 th centuryMaria DanilovNational Museum of Archaeologyand History – ChişinăuThere are few Bessarabian libraries from XIX th century whosecollections are in intact until our days. Most of these spiritual values arelost in times or are so far undiscovered. Historical information regardingold book collections are mostly accidentally discovered through catalogs/registers found in archives, both private and public. Our paper is dedicatedto investigation of privet library from thirst three decades of XIX century,brought to Bessarabia by Dimitrie Govdelas (1780-1831), professor at IasiPrincely Academy.There were some writings about famous library of Greek professorDimitrie Govdelas, PhD, from Iasi Princely Academy in 90’s years ofXX century. But the historical information was only partially recovered.Efim Levit, the one who discovered the library, stated that “the catalogueitself wasn’t found until now, albeit there were some copies for differentinterested forums”.So, what we know or more precisely, what we don’t know aboutDimitrie Govdelas’ library?* * *In June 1834 the newspaper Odesskij Vestnik/ Одесский Вестникrelated a scarce event (based on information taken from Chisinau on June,18): “Laird Dimitrie Carastati donated for schools of that countryside2723 books written in different antique and modern languages. Accordingto donor’s will these books were intended for Chisinau Gymnasium withcondition that gymnasium’s library will be opened twice a week to all those