On April 23, the world celebrates World Book and Copyright Day. Established by a UNESCO resolution in 1995, this holiday aims to draw attention to the culture of the written word, the joy of reading, and the critical issues of intellectual property protection.
As the prominent Ukrainian genius Taras Shevchenko once wrote:
«He who loves books will go far in his development. A book saves the soul from stagnation».
Books Through the Ages: From Manuscripts to Print
A book is our past, our present, and the foundation of our future. The history of Ukrainian bookmaking spans centuries:
- One of the earliest manuscript monuments was the «Reims Gospel» (1049), brought to Paris by Anna, the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise.
- Other significant milestones include the «Ostromir Gospel», the «Peresopnytsia Gospel», and the «Kyiv Psalter» (1397) – a remarkable monument of medieval art featuring distinct characteristics of the Ukrainian language.
- The first printed book by a Ukrainian author was the work of Yuriy Kotermak (1483), while the first book printed directly in Ukraine was the legendary «Apostolos» by Ivan Fedorov (1574).
- Prince Yaroslav the Wise is considered the first domestic bibliophile, as he collected books with great devotion.
Protecting Creativity: The History of Copyright
Copyright emerged from the need to protect the intellectual labor of creators. The first legislative act in this field was the English «Statute of Anne» (1709), which for the first time established the rights of authors and distinguished their powers from those of publishers.
Dear Users!
We invite you to the library!
In the age of the Internet, reading gains special value as a tool for cultural enrichment. To mark the occasion, the Scientific Library of STU invites everyone to visit the thematic book exhibition «Her Majesty – The Book», where you can explore printed editions from our collection. Location: Building C, Room 372.
The staff of the Scientific Library sincerely congratulates all fans of the printed word on this holiday. We look forward to meeting you for a cup of coffee within the walls of our library!
