ASTRA Libraries in Reghin District Cover Image

Biblioteci ale ASTREI în Despărţământul Reghin
ASTRA Libraries in Reghin District

Contributions to the history of Romanian and foreign libraries

Author(s): Niculae Marin ŞARA
Subject(s): Library and Information Science, Local History / Microhistory
Published by: Biblioteca Județeană Mureș
Keywords: library; rural; ASTRA; Reghin; Ioan Pop Maior;Libraria; Biblioteca Județeană Mureș; biblioteconomie; bibliologie; carte veche; carte bibliofilă; istorie locală; servicii de bibliotecă;

Summary/Abstract: The cultural development of the people in Transylvania was one of the most important goals of the Romanian cultural elite during the 19th century. In 1861 ASTRA (Association for Romanian Culture and Literature ) followed the same goal by establishing its way of functioning, in districts, and building libraries, funded by the ASTRA elite.These kinds of acts were enforced by the Association’s statute. Research has shown that the budget for book acquisition for the Reghin library alone was rather vast: 150 florins in 1898. ASTRA members build libraries in many villages around Reghin.These public libraries had an important role in the circulation of books and the general development of libraries in the rural and urban area. In the Reghin district there were about 30.000 books with about 11.000 readers. With the arrival of communism ASTRA was banned and its cultural actions were forbidden.

  • Issue Year: XII/2013
  • Issue No: 12
  • Page Range: 226-238
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: Romanian