Scientific Library of Zaporizhzhia National University
The
Scientific Library of Zaporizhzhia National University (ZNU) serves as a key information base for the educational and research activities of academic staff, scholars, and students. It functions as a dynamic, modern information centre that integrates traditional and digital resources from both its own collections and the global information space.
With a history spanning more than a century, the University Library preserves and transmits society’s documentary and cultural heritage from generation to generation.
Historical Development
The book collection of the Scientific Library of ZNU has been formed over several generations of libraries of various educational institutions. Its history dates back to 1897, when the Oleksandrivska Women’s Gymnasium was established. The modern library inherited collections from the Oleksandrivska Teacher’s Seminary (1919–1921), the Zaporizhzhia Institute of Public Education (1930–1933), and the Zaporizhzhia State Pedagogical Institute (from 1933). These stages of development, as well as the contributions of patrons and donors, are reflected in stamps, bookplates, marks, and inscriptions preserved in the books.
In 1930, the library was housed in the basement of Academic Building No. 1. At that time, its collection comprised 7,152 items and served 270 users, with a lending department and a reading room accommodating 120–150 seats.
In the pre-war years, the library was headed by N. I. Maletska. By the beginning of World War II, it had become the largest library in the city, holding 100,000 items, serving more than 1,000 users, and recording over 78,000 loans annually.
During World War II, the library and the institute were evacuated to Leninabad, but most of the collection was lost. The library resumed its work on 18 October 1943, when the Pedagogical Institute returned to Zaporizhzhia and reopened. At that time, the library had only one employee and a collection of 7,000 volumes.
As the institute expanded in the post-war years, the library also grew. By 1950, its holdings had reached 60,000 volumes, serving up to 1,500 users, with 85,000 loans annually. The library staff increased as well, reaching seven employees by 1950. During this period, the library was headed by A. V. Panycheva, and from 1950 to 1968 by N. A. Mynko, a professional historian. A dedicated team was formed whose members devoted many years of their professional lives to the library, including V. N. Levitina, E. Y. Sokolova, T. P. Amelina, N. H. Zhyhalova, M. H. Babanova, V. P. Chernysh, and N. H. Yabchynska.
In the post-war years, the library relocated twice. After evacuation, it was housed in the building that now accommodates the student clinic. In 1955, it moved to Academic Building No. 1, and since June 1967 it has been located in a purpose-built wing on the first floor of Academic Building No. 2.
In the summer of 1968, the library was enriched by the collection of the General Science Faculty of the Dnipropetrovsk State University branch. At that time, the library staff numbered more than 20 employees. From 1968 to 1985, the library was headed by Zh. S. Dubinets. During this period, four specialised reading rooms with open access to the book collection were established, lending services were reorganised, and a scientific information sector was created. From 1985 to 1992, the library was headed by L. Ya. Vasylenko, and from 1992 to 2016 by V. O. Herasymova.
New specialists also joined the library staff, including I. Yu. Tiapkina, O. M. Serhiienko, M. V. Zheurova, T. D. Loboda, L. P. Dmytruk, L. H. Poltavchenko, O. M. Ihnatenko and O. A. Horban.
In 2007, the library was granted the status of a Scientific Library. In 2017 and 2023, following competitive selection procedures, N. M. Chala was appointed Director of the Library.
Today, the Scientific Library’s activities are supported by a staff of 26 highly qualified professionals. Of these, 22 hold higher education degrees (Specialist or Master’s), four have basic higher library education (Junior Specialist), and 22 employees have more than 20 years of professional library experience. Key areas of development are led by department heads L. Ye. Kirtoka, K. P. Hladkykh, O. V. Levchuk, I. V. Shylenko, and S. V. Sivak. The position of Deputy Director is held by T. K. Semeniuk.
Collection Development and Resources
The library collection is developed in line with the educational and research mission of Zaporizhzhia National University, in close cooperation with the University’s faculties, the Engineering Institute, and research centres.
As of the end of 2025, the total collection exceeds 1,219,000 items, including printed and electronic publications. The periodicals collection comprises 67,000 issues of journals and newspapers. The collection of dissertations and dissertation abstracts includes 112,000 items, while the rare book collection—publications from the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries—numbers more than 9,400 items.
The Library’s holdings continue to expand through cooperation with international and charitable foundations, interlibrary exchange among Ukrainian higher education institutions, donations from private collections, and author contributions.
In accordance with official orders of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Scientific Library incorporated the collections of the Nikopol Faculty and the Zaporizhzhia State Engineering Academy into its holdings. In 2017, the Library received the book collection of the Nikopol Faculty, comprising 15,310 items. Effective 1 January 2019, the Library of the Zaporizhzhia State Engineering Academy was reorganised into a User Services Department of the Scientific Library of ZNU, and its collection of 508,678 items was fully integrated into the University Library’s electronic information environment.
Digital Environment and Services
The transformation of the Scientific Library into the University’s information centre is supported by the automation of library processes and the development of an electronic library. The Scientific Library of Zaporizhzhia National University operates 49 automated workstations, two servers supporting electronic information resources, provides access to the ZNU local network and the Internet, and maintains its own website at
http://library.znu.edu.ua/.
All structural units of the library are connected via a local network with access to the electronic catalogue, electronic library, and the User Database.
The electronic catalogue has been in operation since 2000, based on the UFD/Library software system, and serves as the core component of the Library’s electronic information environment. As of April 2025, the catalogue exceeded 1.5 million bibliographic records, covering all types of printed and electronic publications acquired by the Library, as well as records created through retrospective cataloguing of book collections. All book items are barcode-labelled.
As of the end of 2025, the electronic library comprises more than 335,000 electronic publications across a wide range of fields, including philosophy, philology, physical culture and sports, law, economics, history, physics, mathematics, biology, engineering, and others.
In 2019, the Scientific Library received a high-performance server, enabling a major upgrade of access to the electronic catalogue through the implementation of modern software modules UFD/Library.WEB and UFD/Library.Android.
Access to the search function of the Electronic Catalogue of the Scientific Library of ZNU via the Internet is available through the relevant link in the Library website’s menu or by downloading the LibClient Android mobile application via the provided link or by scanning a QR code. Student registration is carried out using a student ID card based on barcode technology and the UFD/User Registry software module. The student ID card serves as a library card for all structural units of the Library and enables remote ordering of library materials.
The Library provides comprehensive information support for educational activities. The development of the Course Book Provision Database within the electronic catalogue enables the automated selection of textbooks, study guides, reference materials, and other literature required for academic disciplines.
A leading role in the information space of the Scientific Library of ZNU is played by the Electronic Resources Reading Room, which opened on 1 September 2007 in a specially equipped facility with 20 computers. This reading room provides access to the electronic library, electronic catalogue, and international electronic databases.
The Library website (
http://library.znu.edu.ua/) promptly meets the information needs of researchers and students by providing access to both in-house and remote information resources. The website highlights notable events, features virtual book exhibitions, and offers information on access to international electronic databases. Remote use of information resources is supported through the Virtual Reference Service and the Assignment of UDC Indexes and Author Marks Service, enabling users to obtain information interactively in response to their requests.
The high demand for resources available on the Library website particularly the electronic catalogue and electronic library is reflected in the number of website visitors, which exceeds 500,000 annually.
Cultural, Educational, and Research Activities
The Library’s cultural and educational activities are aimed at fostering an intellectually and culturally rich environment within the University. Library exhibitions and informational materials form an integral part of international and national scientific conferences held at Zaporizhzhia National University. Each year, up to 20,000 items from the Scientific Library’s collection are displayed at exhibition events. In addition, more than 200 book exhibitions and commemorative events dedicated to significant historical milestones and key dates in Ukrainian statehood are organised annually.
In honour of Taras Shevchenko, the Scientific Library has established the Shevchenko Gallery, created with the participation of librarians, alumni, and students. Since August 2024, the Gallery opens with a portrait of Taras Shevchenko (a photographic reproduction on canvas) by the Ukrainian artist Ivan Loboda, donated by an alamna of Zaporizhzhia National University.
The University community is presented with unique publications from the Scientific Library’s collection that form part of the Shevchenkiana, including phototypic, facsimile, and reprint reproductions of lifetime editions, editions of Taras Shevchenko’s works published in different years, as well as studies in Shevchenko scholarship. A special place in the Gallery is occupied by an art exhibition of creative works by students of the Graphic Design programme, titled “Shevchenko – an Artist with the Soul of a Poet.” Each year, the central university exhibition held during Shevchenko Days, dedicated to the anniversary of Taras Shevchenko’s birth, is the museum book exhibition “The Eternal Works of Shevchenko.”
The Library staff focus their activities on fulfilling informational and educational functions and on implementing innovative forms and methods of user engagement. The Library has developed training programmes on the use of electronic resources and digital content for educational purposes. These training sessions are conducted annually for first-year students of all faculties and the Yu. M. Potebnia Educational and Research Institute.
The Scientific Library of ZNU provides information support and advisory assistance regarding access to international scientometric databases Scopus and Web of Science. For academic staff, doctoral candidates, and master’s students, the Library offers training sessions on the use of resources and analytical tools of these databases.
As part of ZNU’s policy to promote academic integrity, the Scientific Library is responsible for coordinating and providing technical support for access to plagiarism detection services, as well as for the development and maintenance of the Institutional Repository of Academic Texts of ZNU.
To standardise and improve the quality of formatting of academic, methodological, and qualification papers, the Library has developed and published on its website Examples of Bibliographic References in Accordance with the National Standard of Ukraine DSTU 8302:2015. The Library also provides consultations and conducts training sessions on this topic.
Participation in international projects enables the Scientific Library to engage resources from global databases, thereby expanding the University’s information space and fostering a supportive academic environment.
The Scientific Library has joined the corporate project to develop the information portal “Science of Ukraine: Access to Knowledge,” initiated by the V. I. Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine. Through this portal, users are granted access to the electronic catalogue and electronic library, the electronic archive of bibliographic indexes prepared by the Scientific Library, and electronic versions of ZNU’s peer-reviewed academic journals. In addition, the Scientific Library of ZNU participates in a project of the publishing house Walter de Gruyter (Hamburg, Germany), which involves the preparation of annual editions of the World Guide to Libraries.
Open Library Space and User Services
The project “Open Library Space. Open Space Library,” which received a mini-grant from the British Council in Ukraine under its Active Citizens programme, contributed to the creation of a new environment for library users – a coworking space equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi. Today, the Open Library Space is a venue where visitors can socialise, hold meetings, and participate in events and activities. The space already has a community of regular users and hosts events organised by the Student Council, including book club meetings and other student-led initiatives. The ART zone of the coworking space showcases creative works by students of Graphic Design, Journalism, and other academic programmes.
The Library’s promotional and image-building activities are aimed at enhancing its visibility and perception within the university community. Information about events and activities is published on the official ZNU website, while library content is also presented on the Library’s Facebook page:
http://http://www.facebook.com/libraryZNU/.
The Library offers users three lending departments, two reading rooms, an Electronic Resources Reading Room, and a library coworking space in Academic Building No. 2, as well as two lending departments and a reading room in Academic Building No. 10 of Zaporizhzhia National University.
To meet the information needs of the university community, the Scientific Library maintains extensive and diverse information resources and a wide range of information services. Its activities are focused on supporting the strategic objectives of the University.
