Pavlodar region and P.L. Dravert

Between November the 19th and 20th, Third Symposium in honor P.L. Dravert, an All-Russian Research and Practice Conference was held in the city of Omsk, dedicated to the 145th birth anniversary of P.L. Dravert, a scientist and local historian. It was attended by S. Shahmetova, chairman of Pavlodar Regional Library named after S. Toraigyrov. The event was held at the Omsk State Regional Research Library named after Alexander Pushkin. The identity of poet, local historian, encyclopedist and bookworm, Professor P.L. Dravert (1879–1945) is symbolic of Siberian science and literature as a whole. Dravert's personal library consists of 2,538 volumes and is currently held at the Collection of Rare and Valuable Editions at Omsk State Library named after A.S. Pushkin. “However, Pyotr Ludovikovich’s range of interests far exceeds the field of mineralogy and geology: he was simultaneously a prominent public figure, local historian in the broad sense, geographer, archaeologist, meteoriticist, poet, literary scholar, ex-libris collector and numismatist,” Vladimir Vernadsky wrote in his diaries. The conference covered the role of libraries, museums, and archives in the field of local history, comprehensive study and use of literary heritage. Multiple events took place as part of the conference: a round table discussion titled Knizhnye Sobraniya Omska: Kollektsii, Aftografy, Knizhnye Znaki (Bookeries of Omsk: Collections, Autographs, and Bookplates), where participants discussed the issues with studying, attribution, and scientific description of manuscript, black letter, and modern book rarities; a Scientific and Methodological Seminar titled Bibliotechnaya Istoriya: Metody, Istochniky I Rezultaty (Library History: Methods, Sources, and Results) was held for the experts from public libraries, addressing issues related to the study of the history of libraries, the creation of library history museums, and the development of local history projects (exhibitions, book publishing, etc.). During the plenary, the Pavlodar Regional Library presented a report titled Bayanaul V Issledovaniyah P.L. Draverta (Bayanaul in the Research of P.L. Dravert). He visited the settlement of Bayanaul several times, conducting geographical, archeological and meteoritical research, leaving behind an invaluable legacy of the land. As part of the mutual collaboration framework, an exchange of books and other local history materials took place, bridging the history of the two bordering regions of Kazakhstan and Russia.