LIBRARIES IN VARA？DIN BETWEEN THE TWO WORLD WARS

Sa？etak In Vara？din, the period between the two world wars was marked by intense activities involving libraries. The majority of significant libraries were closed stack libraries functioning within various Vara？din societies. During the interwar period the National Reading Room, Yugoslav Academic Society “Tomislav” and Workers’ Educational and Cultural Society “Sloboda” had their own libraries, and through books, newspapers, magazines, lectures and other activities they worked diligently on broadening the culture and education in Vara？din. In order to make books, newspapers and magazines accessible to all society layers the Public Town Library was founded at the beginning of the 19th century due to the initiative of the Town Government, National Reading Room and Yugoslav Academic Society “Tomislav”. Moreover, some time after the end of the Second World War library items belonging to the Public Town Library, National Reading Room and Workers’ Educational and Cultural Society “Sloboda” functioning in the interwar period, were merged for the purpose of founding a new institution named Library and Reading Room “Sloboda”