Stručni rad
Libraries and Reading Rooms in Vukovar from the 18th to the 20th Century as Institutions of Knowledge and Drivers of Social Life
Vlatka Surma Szabo
; Gradska knjižnica Vukovar
*
* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
Purpose. The aim of this research was to compile a comprehensive list of libraries and reading rooms operating in Vukovar from the 18th to the 20th century and to examine their role in shaping literacy, education, culture, and the social life of the town, thereby confirming the continuity of librarianship in this area.
Approach/Methodology. The study is based on a historical analysis of archival sources, in particular the records of museum professional Antun Eugen Brlić, whose summary inventory is preserved in the State Archives in Osijek under classification mark K.3., collection number HR-DAOS-2024. Additional material includes oral accounts of interviewees and a review of diverse holdings kept in the Vukovar City Museum and the Vukovar City Library.
Findings. The research identified and chronologically presented the development of ecclesiastical, private, and civic libraries, as well as reading rooms in Vukovar. Special attention was given to key institutions such as the Franciscan Monastery, the Eltz family library, the “Ressource” society, and various ethnic reading rooms. The findings show that these institutions played a crucial role in education, cultural exchange, the preservation of national identity, and the formation of civic society. The establishment of the City Library in 1947 marked the formal institutionalization of librarianship in Vukovar.
Limitations. The study relied on available archival and literary sources, although these were often fragmentary and inconsistent. A significant portion of library materials and documentation was destroyed during the First and Second World War. The items that survived and were later incorporated into other institutions were largely lost during the Homeland War. Consequently, the possibility of a complete reconstruction of the history of these collections was considerably limited. Furthermore, detailed data on membership and circulation from earlier periods are no longer available.
Social Implications. The establishment of the first reading rooms in Vukovar represented a key step in promoting literacy and making books more accessible to the wider public. Their foundation resulted from the efforts of local intellectuals, teachers, clergy, and cultural workers who recognized the importance of reading and education for the development of critical thinking and the strengthening of national identity. Early reading rooms were not merely places for borrowing and reading books; they also hosted cultural events, educational lectures, reading evenings, and even political discussions, thus assuming a significant social function. In this sense, the reading rooms of Vukovar became symbols of cultural renewal, carriers of Enlightenment ideas, and foundational institutions in the development of librarianship and cultural infrastructure in the town.
Originality/Value. This paper provides a systematic overview of the chronology and diversity of libraries and reading rooms in Vukovar, encompassing ecclesiastical, private, civic, and ethnic institutions. It offers a unique historical perspective on the town’s cultural and educational development and highlights the continuity of librarianship and its role in shaping Vukovar’s social and cultural identity.
Ključne riječi
Reading rooms, socio-cultural development, libraries, education, Vukovar
Hrčak ID:
346340
URI
Datum izdavanja:
17.4.2026.
Posjeta: 242 *