Knygotyra (Dec 2006)
THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOOK SCIENCE IN LITHUANIA: DIVISION INTO PERIODS AND CHRONOLOGY
Abstract
It is possible to distinguish two main periods in the history of Lithuanian book science: the initial period of formation of the book science started at the beginning of the 19th century and ended by the first decades of the 20th century; the period of the independent, autonomous development of book science from the beginning of the 20th century till now. The first period is also known as a bibliographic period of book science, because the disciplines investigating a book were concentrated around bibliography, which was understood as a universal encyclopaedic science of book at that time. The border between the two periods is marked by a change in the book researchworks: the wide concept of bibliography stopped dominating the discourse; book science and bibliography were understood as two disciplines with specific objects of research, their own structures and methods. It is difficult to point out a specific date of this change but it is certain that it must have happened not later than in the 20s of the 20th century. Within these two periods, it is possible to distinguish a variety of factors that influenced the development of book science.In Lithuania, book science has emerged and was formed within the European model of development. Just after a decade since the first courses in book science delivered in France at the end of the 18th century, the subject of book science was included into the programme at Vilnius University and later the lectures were read. The most significant European (French and German) book science works were known to the academic faculty at Vilnius University and collected in its library. They were used as a foundation to create the first works of book history and theory in Lithuania. These works disseminated widely popular theoretical concepts enriched by original research, which helped the formation of independent disciplines of book science, bibliography and history of literature.The development of the autonomous book science in Lithuania also coincided with the development in Europe where an independent discipline investigating a book and book matter emerged at the beginning of the 20th century. At that time Lithuania as earlier, book science was equal with other humanities’ disciplines, which were institutionalised and developed in different directions without adding original theoretical works. As in Russia and Poland, book science in Lithuania did not pass through the library period of book science as it happened in Germany where an innovative library science included a wide part of historical and theoretical book research issues. After the Second World War, the Soviet “fashions” in book science influenced it’s development in Lithuania most. It was not impossible to continue the work started during the years of independence and the traditional book science was not developed, the applied and historical issues were the limit. The changing Russian and European political and science situation during 60s stimulated the renaissance of book science in Lithuania. The term book science came back intothe use, the journal Knygotyra was established, monographs on different issues of book science were published and other facts evidenced this return. The process continues till now. In modernLithuania, the traditional book science is developed. It is the main concern of a recreated academic department at Vilnius University, which is actively promoting book science and organizing studiesof book science.
