Books from the Library of Mariupol Women’s Gymnasium in Collection of V. I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine

The purpose of the work is to bring into scientific circulation little-known publications from the book collection of the Mariupol Women's Gymnasium, which will contribute to the study of the history of the gymnasium in Mariupol in the 19th ― beginning of the 20th century. The methodology is substantiated by the conducted analysis of the quantitative and thematic composition of the gymnasium library, the stages of its creation and the sources of acquisition are traced. The scientific novelty of the work is that on the basis of documents of the Institute of Manuscripts and the Department of Library Collections and Historical Collections Institute of Bibliology of the V.I.Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, as well as with the involvement of special literature, books from the library of the Mariupol women's gymnasium are characterized. A study of the history of the gimnasium covers its direction and the specifics of teaching basic subjects. The study also provides information about the founders of the Mariupol Women's Gymnasium, one of whom was an experienced teacher, public figure Feoktist Avraamovich Hartahai (1836-1880), and philologist Oleksandra Oleksandrovna Genglez (1841-1915). During the war in Ukraine, some publications from the library of the Mariupol Women's Gymnasium were lost. A small number of storage items from the book collection of the Mariupol Women's Gymnasium came to the department of library collections and historical collections from the exchange-reserve fund: total of 52 were examined. Documents with signs of belonging to the collection were selected. The binders of the most books bear the mark MZhG, which means Mariupol Women's Gymnasium. All editions were processed either in the bookbindery of the Mariupol gymnasium, or the binders were made to its order. Conclusions. Thus, the book collection of the Mariupol Women's Gymnasium is a valuable historical and cultural monument, as well as a sample of collections for researchers who worked in different fields of science from the end of the 18th century up to the present day. All editions, while preserved in the fund of library collections and historical collections of the Institute of Bibliology, contain unique book marks, the study of which is a prospect for further bibliological research.