The formation of our library is closely connected with the name of Ivan Efremovich Lyasotsky (19.6 (1.7) 1892 – 12/10/1953), a well-known local historian in our city, author of books about old Tomsk.
In 1908, Ivan Yefremovich graduated from the Tomsk City College, which gave him the rank of 1st class, which allowed him to enter the civil service.
For several years he worked as an employee on the Siberian Railway.
After the revolution, since 1918, he connected his life with the library business. He was in charge of the library of the Tomsk Gubernatorial School, was the librarian of the K. Marx party cabinet at the faculty, taught a little librarianship at the Siberian Political and Educational Institute. He studied at TSU for two years.
In the autumn of 1935, when the TMI library received a building on Lenin Street, 107 became its director. Apparently, the issue of the organization of the library, the search for a suitable room and the candidacy of a professional head of the library was decided by the leadership of the TMI and the city government at the same time.
The first report on the work of the library appeared already in June 1936 and was signed by its first head, Ivan Efremovich Lyasotsky.
With the arrival of Lyasotsky, who has many years of practical experience in library work, the activities of the TMI scientific and educational library are being rebuilt on a professional basis. Acts are being signed for the admission of literature to the fund and the write-off of lost books; book exchange has been established with a number of medical universities and the receipt of a mandatory copy from the Moscow collector of Scientific Libraries. A premium-selling fund of manuals and manuals for young doctors produced by the Institute has been organized.
The library forms an exchange fund from the “Works of the medical Institute” for distribution to other medical institutes and research institutes, even the exchange of “Works …” with abroad has been established. In 1937, the library subscribed 30 titles of foreign magazines.
Bibliographic work has been launched: indexing and cataloguing of documents is underway, a card catalog is being drawn up.
Based on the report of the director of the Lyasotsky Library, by Order No. 115 of the Tomsk Medical Institute dated 08/15/1940, the first Rules for the use of the TMI scientific and educational library were published, which, together with the order, were reproduced and posted in all academic buildings and dormitories of the Institute. Interestingly, the main provisions of those rules are quite consistent with modern ones.
The TMI educational library is beginning to turn into the medical scientific library of the city of Tomsk.
In 1937-38, Ivan Efremovich headed the Department of special literature (special fund) during its creation in the TSU library.
In 1938, he returned to the TMI library and worked until 1948. Then he headed the Regional Library. In the last years of his life, he worked as the director of the Tomsk Museum of Local Lore.
Ivan Efremovich was interested in local history from a young age. He collected memories, legends and photographs about Tomsk. His writing experience was led by V.Ya. Shishkov, whom he had known since his youth and who was extremely demanding of him. Lyasotsky’s books and articles were very popular in the city, and were the main source of knowledge about Tomsk’s past for many antiquarians.
The writings of I.E. Lyasotsky were highly appreciated by our fellow countryman, writer E.V. Burmakin in his book “Tomsk outgoing”: “Ivan Lyasotsky writes about what he saw with his own eyes and experienced with his own heart – this is the main value …”, he refers him to writers who have a highly moral position in creativity.
The writings of I.E. Lyasotsky:
Lyasotsky I.E. The past of Tomsk in the names of its streets, buildings and surroundings. Tomsk, 1952.
The book tells about the streets, notable buildings, provides unique information about the names of different parts of the city, at the end of the book there is a list of streets of old Tomsk, which gives both the old and new (for 1952) names, as well as a list of streets of Soviet Tomsk with an indication of how the street was called before.
Lyasotsky I.E. Vyacheslav Yakovlevich Shishkov in Tomsk (According to memoirs and documents). Tomsk, 1953.
The book was written for the 80th anniversary of the birth of V.Ya. Shishkov.
Lyasotsky I.E. Notes of old Tomich. Tomsk, 1954.
A biographical book, in which you can see the life and everyday life of the University Estate, since the end of the XIX century, the book reflects serious historical events described according to the author’s own impressions.
From V. Shishkov’s letter about the book: “I read your manuscript carefully and with great pleasure. The manuscript does not need to be corrected. The language is simple, good, expressive. The types are outlined well, the characteristics are accurate and memorable.”
Burmakin E.V. Tomsk outgoing (free narration). Tomsk: Publishing House of Tomsk University, 1995. – pp. 88 – 106 (These pages are dedicated to I.E. Lyasotsky)
