The M. Luther and V. Сiapinski Protestant Library
In the modern sense, libraries are no longer the cultural institution they were until recently. The culture of reading has changed, and the city of Minsk itself has transformed along with its readers. Some have switched to e-books or prefer to read books and articles using mobile gadgets on the i-net network. The number of readers in the libraries of Minsk has decreased, perhaps with the exception of the National Library, it has especially decreased in those “classic” libraries, where there are muddy windows, dusty shelves and a harmful “librarian” grumbling at the only visitor of the day.
The library of our project does not provide for “cloudy windows and dusty shelves” in a room with “Soviet renovation”. This is a modern library with a modern approach to the reader, where there are not only tables and chairs. Here you can organize a meeting and have a conversation on theological and philosophical topics, listen to meditative music in the background (classical, Gregorian chants and other church chants, etc.). The library has computers with a well-designed rubricator not by the title of books and sections on the shelves, as is often found in almost all libraries, but by the content of chapters in books. For example, a book has a title associated with the New Testament tradition in the understanding of confession, but there are chapters on baptism; a visitor to a library interested in baptism will not see or find the desired topic by the title of this book. However, through our rubricator in the computer he will find.
In the library there is an opportunity for readers to drink a cup of good coffee or tea for free. To have a break. It is also possible to deliver and take back books to the homes of Christians who are elderly or physically handicapped and unable to visit our library on their own. The library also has a free service for finding the right topics for the reader. The reader can order the desired topic on-line, and the library employee will select for him, within the allotted time, a list of literature on a given topic, not only by the title of the books, but also by the content of the books and periodicals, placing the appropriate bookmarks there.
Our book fund has books in six living languages. In addition to Latin, Greek, Hebrew and the obsolete medieval languages of Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians, in which books were written in historical Russia and historical Lithuania, these are also texts in modern Belarusian, Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, German and English. These languages are most in demand in Belarus among Protestants. The vast majority of Protestant Bible scholars, preachers and writers in Europe and in the Anglo-Saxon world (USA, Australia, Canada and others) use German and English.
Our library specializes in Christian books of Protestant denominations, primarily by Evangelical Lutheran authors. But a small part of them is devoted to the doctrines of Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Judaism, as well as the history of philosophy, the religions of Asia (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism) and even economics, law and culture.
The library pays special attention to the search and purchase of books on topical topics in modern Christianity: environmental problems and the Christian view of this problem, family problems, the problems of physicality or sexual relations and prohibitions, the problem of communication and the preaching of Christian values in the modern world, the dialogue of Christian denominations and cultures, Christian hygiene in social networks, etc.
One of the main directions of our library is to provide a platform for a variety of Christian exhibitions, performances, events, seminars, including partner projects. The library is a platform for watching films of Christian content, including those on current topics of modern society, after which Christians of different denominations will be able, as viewers, to pronounce the plots of a particular film, revealing the meanings, and correlate them with the values and requirements of the Christian faith and texts of Scripture.
Thus, our library is an integrator of the services provided, where you can read books and, at the same time, is a platform for viewing, listening to various materials, a venue for Christian theological clubs.
Our library is no longer a place where only books are given out for reading, it is an intellectual Christian “House of Faith and Knowledge”, where various topical topics are raised and spoken out. Here you can sit at your laptop and meet with friends and brothers in faith. Yes, and just run in, hide from the rain, even for a non-believer and have a cup of coffee and thereby get acquainted with the Christian doctrine. Many people still do not dare to relax in the library, to feel at home. In our library, this is absolutely normal and natural.
Anyone can sign up for our library with an identity document. The fund contains several hundreds of selected literature on various topics. Most of the books are rare.
We are waiting for you!