The library of All-Russian General Headquarters (WPRA United Library) in 1920–1929

Abstract

The author investigates into the history of the library of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army (WPRA), introduces some documents of Russian State Military Archive into scientific discourse, and analyzes them. The years 1920–1929 became the first decade after the library’s partial transfer from Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) to Moscow. The period from establishing WPRA United Library till transferring Moscow Branch collections to Lenin’s Library (The USSR State Library) is characterized. Despite difficulties (e. g. interruptions of free copies acquisition, decreasing staffing, collections left behind in Petrograd), the military library was meeting the challenges and accomplishing the tasks put forward by WPRA Command. The librarians’ routine operations collection development, in particular, acquisition of the collection of A. N. Kuropatkin, a military minister in the Russian Empire, are discussed.