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Latgale Central Library

In 1859 the citizen Jakub Padezin opened the first book shop in Dinaburg and opened also a library next to it. It became the first library in Dinaburg and worked for more than 80 years. The books and magazines issued in the library for a fee.
There was a great demand on books in the city and one library could not satisfy it. As a result, in 1873 two more libraries began to work. The first library was opened by the aristocratic community, the second – by the guild trader Karlis Jozess. In 1886 he also opened a second library. K. Jozess book shop successfully worked together with his libraries, it is closely linked with the name of Ansh Gulbis who was a famous Latvian book publisher, social worker and writer. In 1881 the son of K. Jozess, Isaak Livshic opened one more, the fourth library.

The opening of the fourth library in a such short period of time, undoubtedly testifies the citizens’ interest in books. In 1888 Padezin library was found the biggest library not only in Dinaburg, but also in the whole Vitebsk province. The number of volumes in the largest Dinaburg libraries was as follows:

Padezin library - 13,175 Vol.
K. Jozess library - 4137 Vol.
I. Livshic library - 2945 Vol.
A few private libraries were opened in the 19th century in Daugavpils, but the three listed above remained the largest. N. Gogol Free reading room was opened upon the citizens’ request in 1904. The permission to open the reading room was signed in December 1903 by Vitebsk province governor.

The reading room opening was widely advertised. A few pages in a thick booklet “Project of Dvinsk city free library statutes - reading rooms in memory of Nikolai Gogol" were published in 1904. The statutes of the project were signed by the head of City Council A. Pffeifer and the secretary K. Stankevich, but endorsed by the governor of Vitebsk. In one of the statutes paragraphs it was stated that libraries will be managed by the commission, that will be elected by the City Council from the board members and department training center.

The WWI devastated the city, the citizens cultural life also was damaged. When the winds of the war died down, the citizens began to restore all damaged. In addition to the many post-war arrangements, the libraries were opened. In 1919 - Teachers' Union Library, 1920 - Latvian Community Library, 1921 - Library of Railway Workers Community and several other nations community libraries. Further, the libraries were opened in almost all organizations.
It should be noted that Daugavpils Teachers Union Library joined the Cultural fund made library network and received from it a lot of valuable books. After the Women's Gymnasium Library liquidation its joining to Daugavpils Teacher's Union Library made it a qualitative better and richest with books library not only the city, but in the whole Latgale.

The realized revolution of Karl Ulmanis in May 1934 started the new period in Latvian cultural life. This also affected the work the libraries.

In 1937, Daugavpils City Council decided to merge Daugavpils Teachers Union and Daugavpils Latvian Community libraries and to control the joint library. The city library (hereinafter called as the joint library) started to work in September 1937 in the narrow and unsuitable rooms at Rainis101 Street. Janis Tale, the remarkable librarian and bibliographer, worked as Daugavpils city library manager from its origin until 1944.

In 1938, the library got the large, beautiful rooms in the newly built Vienibas house. Also today, the city library (Central Library of Latgale) is located in Vienibas house. It takes up rooms on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors.
The city library in Daugavpils was also damaged at the first days of WWII, a mine hit Vienibas house and that part of Vienibas house was destroyed where the library was and because of that the whole library book fund burned down, i.e. about 40,000 volumes. The unique collections and card files of J. Tale were lost together with the books.

The serious work on the book fund reconstruction began. The press published a "Call" to donate books in the library. A lot of people responded to the call not only in Daugavpils, but from the whole Latgale, the residents’ activity was amazing. 655 books were saved after the fire, the books from the abandoned apartments and donated books were joined to this number. The work was done unexpectedly quickly. In 1942 there were already 22,000 books in the library.

In 1944 the new dangers threatened the library. Leaving the city of Daugavpils, the Nazi occupiers decided to bring the renewed library fund, which already had 30,000 volumes. J. Tale saved the books for the second time. The Germans gathered the books in coaches and joined them to a war echelon. J. Tale reached the books in Mazeikos. There the librarian bribed the chef of the station and a different address "TALSI" was written at the coach with the books. J. Tale waited together with the books for the end of the war in Talsi. The rescued books (about 10,000) were sent back to Daugavpils. Janis Tale remained in Talsi, where he was offered a director post of Talsi District Library. Daugavpils City Library renewed its work on September 27 in 1944. From that moment the library became part of the Soviet Union library network and became Daugavpils Central Library. It received the rooms in the renewed Vienibas house.
The library has changed its name several times during 80 years.

In 1973 the centralized library system was established and Daugavpils city library became Daugavpils city central Scientific library.

According to the 13th of May 1993 Daugavpils City Council resolution N. 359 Daugavpils city central library received a new name - Latgale Central Library.

There is a series of library leaders in the library historical memory who contributed to the development of our library: Nina Voiceh, Jefrosinija Gorkina, Eleanor Kleshchinska and Svetlana Lapane. Helen Shapkova is the director of the library since 1999.

After various reorganisations and joinings there are 7 public working libraries in Daugavpils:

- Latgale Central Library;
- Children’s library “Zilite”;
- Ezeru (Lake) library;
- Jaunbuve (New construction) library;
- Pardaugava library;
- Cerinu (Lilac) library;
- Piekrastes (Riverside) library.
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Rīgas iela 22a, Daugavpils
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