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On the ninetieth anniversary of Jaroslava Blažková’s birth, the paper reflects on her life, prose, journalism and literature for children and youth. Her work was characterised by an expressive style, irony and an effort to break free of conventions and stereotypes, through which she stood out from previous generations of authors. Her publishing debut – the short-story collection Nylon Moon (Nylonový mesiac, 1961) – expressed signs of feminism and emancipation which were rare at that time. In the 1960s, Jaroslava Blažková became one of the best-known Slovak authors but in the unfavourable social and political situation after 1968, she decided to emigrate to Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2024 it will be 190 years since several of the leading figures of national and cultural life in Slovakia came together to establish the Society of Slovak Language and Literature Lovers (Spolok milovníkov reči a literatúry slovenskej). The paper traces the functioning of the society in the various periods that shaped it in many ways. When Ján Kollár and Martin Hamuljak founded it, the aim was to raise awareness of Slovaks’ native language and promote the activity of the Bernolák group and leaders of the so called “Czechoslovak orientation”. One of the most important outcomes of their work was publishing of the Zora almanac from 1835, although its run ceased in 1840 for financial reasons. The society’s activities began to decline in the 1840s and it was wound up in 1850. The society’s activities made an evident contribution to Slovak literary life and laid important foundations for the following generation around Štúr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper was written to mark the 60th anniversary of a specialised workplace for retrospective bibliography at University Library in Bratislava. Authors reflect on its origins, which reach back to the library’s foundation in 1919, and highlight the contributions of senior workers in different stages of its development. During its existence, the office has not only undergone several name changes but has also had to respond to social and political changes. Retrospective bibliography only gradually emerged as a distinct activity and had a secondary priority until the 1960s. Besides their publishing activity, staff of the Office of Retrospective Bibliography organises lectures and exhibitions with international collaboration and interdisciplinary character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper takes readers on a tour of the largest academic library in Finland – the main building of the Helsinki University Library, which is one of four branches specialising in art, law, theology, education and social sciences. The academic library is distinguished by its functionalist architecture that makes orientation easy while permitting flexible forms of study on an individual or group basis and respecting the accessibility needs of disabled users. It provides a variety of less common services on top of the usual library and information services. One of the most significant of these benefits is providing a variety of courses aimed at information literacy and information seeking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is a review of the collection of texts, The Power of the Printed Word (Sila tlačeného slova) written and edited by PhDr. Anna Jónásová concerning the life and work of the renaissance intellectual Peter Bornemisza during his time in Slovakia. The collection includes translations of texts written by experts on Bornemisza’s life alongside extracts from Bornemisza’s own writings, including his book The Devil’s temptations (Diabolské pokušenia). It also includes reproductions of Bornemisza’s prints and manuscripts, including decorative initials in the introduction of every chapter. Bornemisza is described as an organiser of protestant clerical life, a powerful preacher and a creative writer. The reviewer highlights the careful treatment of historical documents, the accuracy of the translations and the selection of texts, which bring Slovak readers closer to a less familiar figure with an outstanding influence on the Slovak population at that time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is a review of a book Nine Plays about Freedom (9 hier o slobode) written by the dramatist Viliam Klimáček which was published to mark his 65th birthday. The book brings together nine plays that combine historical as well as contemporary themes (Mojmír II. (2015); Horúce leto ’68 (2007); Dr. Gustáv Husák (2006); Komunizmus (2008); Vodka a chróm (2018); Mečiar (2015); Divná doba, divná láska, divné životy (2015); Zjavenie (2017); Aupairky a konkubíny (2019). In each play, Klimáček reflects not only on the past but also on current events, including critical perspective on the leading figures of each era. The plays include songs and poems related to the central themes. The play Mojmír II, which the reviewer considers the most valuable in artistic terms, won Dosky theatre awards in five categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is a slightly revised version of an introductory speech given at one of the European Heritage Days events commemorating the 450th anniversary of the arrival of preacher, humanist and printer Peter Bornemisza in Šintava and of the printing of his first publication – a book of sermons entitled Homiletics. Besides promoting spiritual renewal in Christianity, the activities of Peter Bornemisza helped to disseminate the ideas of humanism and renaissance and strengthen education, despite opposition from many Catholic leaders. To this day, he is considered a cultural, spiritual and moral authority and his ideas remain valid even in the twenty-first century. The European Heritage Days event was accompanied by the launch of a collection of texts about his life – The Power of the Printed Word (Sila tlačeného slova). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the life and work of a less known Slovak personality – Marian Váross – who can be considered one of the leading figures of the modern academic scene in the second half of the twentieth century. As one of the best educated Slovaks of his time, he also delved into literature and fine arts. He wrote many monographs, articles and essays from various academic fields. He also worked in the State Psycho-technical Institute, was an editor in the daily newspaper Národná obroda and initiated the foundation of the Institute of the Theory and History of Art, which he was subsequently forced to leave for political reasons. He later worked in the Slovak National Gallery. Váross described his own difficult fate in diary entries which were published in the book Loneliness Day after Day (Deň za dňom samota) in 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper sheds light on the collaborative experience of employees of the University Library of Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica with volunteer’s performance and management. It follows the development of a pilot project in 2013 into a full-fledged programme, Senior Volunteering at the MBU University Library, and the enrolment of this project in a quality evaluation system for work with volunteers. After meeting the basic criteria for collaboration with volunteers, the library was awarded the quality label We get on well with volunteers (S dobrovoľníkmi a dobrovoľníčkami to vieme). After introducing educational and reward systems, a second star was added to the label. Volunteering is a way for the library to enhance its public image while providing volunteers with an opportunity to make a genuine contribution and maintain regular social contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People often talk about reading as an activity that lets the reader mentally “escape” from external events for a while, at the same time as providing a means for personal growth. Nevertheless, there is much talk about a crisis of reading nowadays, reflecting the increasing demands that society places on the individual and the corresponding decrease in time available for leisure time activities. The paper presents a closer look at reading and the benefits it offers. The aim is to summarise the key findings of the research in this field, which are classified according to the character of the findings. The author identifies several benefits of regular reading including reduced stress, better sleep quality, cognitive development and stronger concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents an interview with poet, prose writer, university teacher and head of the Department of Mediamatics and Cultural Heritage at the University of Žilina, Marián Grupač. The interview explores the development of his writing, the message of particular works and how the author connects with readers and other writers. It also considers differences between Slovak and foreign literature and the specific publishing landscape in Slovakia, while aiming to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the work, views and personal experiences of author who has written several collections of poetry including Cudná noc v Paríži (1998), Dráždenie dažďa (1999), Noblesa (2005), Luxus (2009), V tomto storočí sú noví blázni (2015), as well as prose works like Na život a na smrť (2004), Slová klamú! (2008), Poltvin (2012) and Iný (2019). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]