130 Arvydas Pacevičius 9. Gajaus Plinijaus Cecilijaus Jaunesniojo (62–113 m.e.m.) Laiškų (Halė, 1686) antraštinis lapas (iki 2009 m. gaisro buvo saugoma Labanoro bažnyčioje) *34
*35 Molėtų dekanato bažnyčių bibliotekos: knygų ženklų labirintais THE LIBRARIES OF THE CHURCHES OF THE MOLĖTAI DEANERy: IN THE LABYRINTHS OF BOOK SIGNS Arvydas Pacevičius summary 131 A considerable number of books that belonged to various institutions as well as individuals, mostly priests are preserved in the active churches of the Molėtai deanery. Their book signs indicate that there were not only church libraries sensu stricto with liturgical and ritual books, but also small parish, pastor’s house, as well personal priest libraries with homily literature, collections of sermons, theological works. The book signs belonging to institutional and personal libraries reveal the very many colored, diverse and original world of the Molėtai territory. Signs of ownership (seals, inserts, inscriptions), marginalia, paratexts, and insertions in the books are written in various languages (Polish, Russian, Latin, Lithuanian) and indicate the complicated ethnocultural situation of the territory, the changes in the identity of the communities. it is especially important that from a historical perspective not only the communication ties of the territory’s churches and parishes become clearer, but also of the deaneries and dioceses, comprising a broad diachronic perspective. Book signs are a means and instrument to recognize the traditions of a particular region, reflected in the book culture. Fundamental component parts were offering and charity. The members of the parish community, including the clergy, donated books, especially liturgical and church choir ones, for common use. In this way institutional libraries were being created. Unfortunately, in many cases because of the 20th c. occupations and atheistic propaganda they were scattered, destroyed, losing their primary Christian mission and ties with earlier generations. Therefore, the inventorization of all this book, press, and manuscript heritage, research, presentation and distribution to society is an especially important goal today.