February 6 is the Memorial Day of Vera Artisevich (1907-1999), a library legend, Director of the SSU Zonal Scientific Library, the only female rector in the history of Saratov State University.

She has been associated with librarianship since her studying at university – she worked as an intern in the Amur Central City Library, the director of the library of the Amur House of Educators, then as a librarian in the Khabarovsk Central Regional Library named after N.K. Krupskaya.

After moving to Saratov in 1929, Vera Artisevich became the head of the general department of the Fundamental Library of Saratov State University, and in 1931 – its deputy director. On March 1, 1932, she was appointed the director of the Fundamental Library of Saratov State University. Two years later, the library was awarded the status of a scientific library.

In the early days of the Great Patriotic War, Vera Artisevich assumed the duties of the SSU rector. Despite the difficulties of wartime, she proved herself to be an experienced organiser and a sensitive leader. Vera Artisevich supervised library work in hospitals, as well as organised fundraising and warm clothes for the front. In 1941, she defended the university from evacuation to the buildings of the Leningrad Defence Plant university, in 1942 she accepted the staff of Leningrad State University into the preserved university buildings and dormitories of our university.

Vera Artisevich's selfless help was remembered even after the war – she received letters of appreciation from the scientists and colleagues, and the library was replenished with new publications. Read about the organisation work in the Saratov State University and the library during the Great Patriotic War in the article Vera Artisevich – The First and The Only One.

She made a huge contribution to the construction of a special building of the SSU Scientific Library. Thus, she participated in the interior design of the building, took part in the management of construction work, together with the colleagues, went out on numerous clean-up days during it. Today, the house of her main brainchild, the Scientific Library, adorns the SSU campus.

Vera Artisevich devoted 74 years to librarianship. She shared her professional experience at numerous conferences and seminars, published more than 100 works in library and bibliographic journals and collections, initiated the organisation of the Saratov Library Society and took an active part in the management of university libraries in the country.

She combined her research and library management with teaching – she conducted bibliographic classes with students and postgraduates at Saratov State University, taught advanced training courses for librarians in Saratov and other cities.

Vera Artisevich was repeatedly given domestic and international awards – the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, the Order of Honour, the N.K. Krupskaya Medal, the Jan Amos Komensky Gold Medal. She is Honourary Citizen of Saratov, Honourary Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, Honourary Worker of the Higher School of Russia, and Honourary Member of the International Academy of Informatisation.

Vera Artisevich shared her memories of her contemporaries in the book Remembering the Library Legend and in the article Person as Safe Harbou: In Memory of Vera Artisevich.

The main thing that Vera Artisevich followed was ‘to have a goal, achieve the goal and look far ahead.’ She herself said, ‘As for me, I have never had any doubts about the choice of my life's work. As the director of the library, I have happened to be a teacher, a researcher, a translator, a typist, a diplomat, an architect, a builder, a business executive, and even a locksmith. Happily, I have become a librarian!’

She died at the age of 92, on February 6, 1999. On April 20 of the same year, the SSU Zonal Scientific Library was named after her. On October 18, 2000, a memorial plaque was put on the library building in honour of Vera Artisevich.

The interregional scientific readings are traditionally held at SSU on Vera Artisevich Memorial Day. This year, the topic of the readings is Professional Associations: Personalities and Corporate community. The conference will be held at the Boiling Point in SSU Bldg. 6. It will start at 10 a.m.