Jubilees

Library calling is a seemingly simple and quiet job

...The book world is our sacred abode.
We prefer it to other professions.
We are not contemplators or spectators in it,
We are actors, directors and creators in it...

On 23 June, a veteran of the Blokhintsev Universal Library and a permanent bibliographer with fifty years of experience Valentina Ivanovna ZHULEGO turned 85.

Valentina Ivanovna graduated from the Library Faculty of the Minsk State Pedagogical Institute, specializing in highly qualified bibliographer. And this is for life. A bibliographer with a capital letter is a centre of intellectual attraction for every visitor; thanks to her painstaking work, the knowledge accumulated over generations found its grateful readers.

She has worked in the library of OMK 22 (Blokhintsev Universal Library) since 1966 and today, she is on a well-deserved rest. Her entire professional life was devoted to bibliographic search of literature, creation of a system of catalogs and card files of the library, individual work with readers. Valentina Ivanovna successfully headed one of the most important areas of work - the bibliographic department for more than three decades. Her vast experience and scrupulous knowledge of book collections were indispensable both for colleagues and for all our readers, of whom there were more than 10 thousand in the 1960-1980s. Communicating with visitors with amazing ease, listening to everyone with great kindness and attention, she found for everyone both the right words and the right book. Valentina Ivanovna knew by name almost every reader, their professional interests and hobbies, tactfully approaching each person and their requests. A bibliographer from God - she loved the book fund, kept numerous catalogues and card indexes, creating an extensive and highly qualified library-bibliographic reference apparatus on traditional card media. She enthusiastically and happily passed on her work experience to young people. More than one generation of bibliographers has grown up under her watchful eye, including the author of these lines.

Thanks to the incredible goodwill and hard work, tact and kindness, attention and responsiveness of Valentina Ivanovna, she is known and appreciated by almost the entire large staff of the United Institute - from veterans to their grandchildren ... She is one of those keepers of the special spiritual atmosphere that reigns in our city, in our unique staff, in our extraordinary profession. Always ready to help people, caring, partial, selflessly loving the reader and the book - this is how we know and love her.

And today, on the day of your jubilee, dear Valentina Ivanovna, we say thank you for the selfless work to which you have devoted your life, gave part of your soul and heart!

Veterans of the JINR Universal Library, veterans of the Institute and library staff congratulate you on your jubilee, wish you all the best, health, longevity and that every day brings you only joy.

Irina LEONOVICH,
Director of the Blokhintsev Universal Library in 1997-2020.