Mykhailo Marunchak as a historian of Canadian Ukrainian publishing of the beginning stage of pioneer period (90s of ХІХ - 20s of ХХ ct.)

The article deepens the knowledge about Marunchak’s contribution into the studying of the beginning stage of history of book publishing by Ukrainians in Canada, topical, typical and reading specifics of the first Ukrainian books in Canada, their polygraphic features and decorative design, and also formation of Canadian Ukrainian book traditions. The discovered Canadian Ukrainian early printed books “Christian Katechysm for Usage by School Children and Youth” (1904) and “Textbook of English for Rus People with Grammar and Russian-English and English-Russian Dictionaries” edited by I. Bodruh and M. Shcherbinin (1905) are analyzed. M. Marunchak’s assessment of the role of the Canada North West Publishing Company and “Canadian Farmer” in the founding of Ukrainian book publishing in Canada is analyzed as well. Biographical information on the organizers of book publishing, editors and printers, used by M. Marunchak for specifying the factorial aspect of Canadian Ukrainian book publishing of the beginning stage of the pioneer period is given. The author highlights that launch of book publishing by Ukrainians in Canada played a key role in the speeding up of the formation of Ukrainian ethnical group in Canada, including its inclusion in the Canadian culture and enriching of multicultural society of Canada.