Dreiser's Russian Diary by Theodore Dreiser

Author:Theodore Dreiser [Dreiser, Theodore]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780812292381
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc.
Published: 1996-09-15T05:00:00+00:00

Thursday Dec 1-1927- Leningrad-Hotel Europe

Although the day started badly, (there was not enough on our program to make it worth while spending another day in the city) nevertheless I had a very interesting day. In the morning we went to the Leningrad Public Library, which, with the Library of Congress, is counted the second largest in the world, 4,600,000 books. After the revolution, the acquisition of large private libraries doubled the number of volumes. The building itself is very old, in fact, the entrance to the administrative offices was so dilapadated that I was sure we were making a mistake. However, as we progressed in our journey through the many rooms, the appearance greatly improved and the library began to wear an ancient dignity and grandeur. The endless leather bound volumes were closely placed on shelves reaching to the ceiling, and rare books stood or lay in glass cases, for instance the entire library of Voltaire, purchased by Katherine after his death. There were many original manuscripts of Russian writers like Tolstoy and Dostievsky. I inquired about the philosophy department, but it was so vast that I had to ask for some specific branch, so I chose witchcraft. I was led into a room and the director of that department, and his assistants began to bring me aged volumes of magic, sorcery, etc. in French, Latin, Greek, and I had some difficulty in escaping from the eager helpfulness of the librarian, for I had no time to pore over these fascinating old books. There was a special exhibit in one room of material from the October Revolution, placards, manifestoes, newspapers, etc. which would have been interesting to examine. Through a window above we looked down on the long reading room full of people sitting at the tables or waiting in line at the desk. However, it is quite evident that the reading room is not large enough for the patrons. A new building which will be finished in the course of a few years is now in process of construction to house this great library. As we went out, I met the chief librarian who is the father of the head of VOKS—a little plump man with eye-glasses who comically resembles his son.

One of things about this library that impressed me was the Sovietizadon of the same. In the office of the librarian—a large portrait of Lenin. Also one of Marx. In the reading room—(main), portraits of Stalin, Bukharin, etc. In one of the great chambers an exhibition of posters, pictures, pamphlets, books etc relating to the “Red October” and its triumph. In the library at large a special department filled with books relating to socialism, communism and the new Soviet ideology. In short the kow-towing of the intelligentsia to the workingman & peasent with the gun. And all the employes—from director down, extremely civil to everybody—especially the proletariat—everybody a Tovarisch—or Comrade, to everybody else; Marks, Engel, George etcetera, great & finest thinkers on this business of living & thinking—in

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