Harjevschi Daria

About

Daria Harjevschi (1862-1934) was a librarian and cultural figure from Bessarabia who decisively marked the history of Moldovan librarianship. At just 22 years old, she became the director of the Chișinău City Public Library (the current National Library of the Republic of Moldova), being the youngest leader of this institution in its entire history. She held this position for four decades, from 1884 to 1924, her leadership period being marked by substantial reforms and a progressive vision of the library's role in society. Harjevschi demonstrated an exemplary commitment to modernizing library services by applying innovative methods for her time. In 1889, at her initiative, the Librarians' Congress was organized, a meeting that contributed to the improvement of systematic catalogs and the organization of a unified catalog of periodicals. In 1899, she undertook a professional development trip to Kharkiv, Poltava, and Odesa, which resulted in the development of an alphabetical-systematic catalog of books by subject. Later, in 1911, she participated as a delegate at the Congress of Librarians of Russia, held in Saint Petersburg, where she presented a report on the Chișinău library and exchanged experiences with colleagues from other governorates. His leadership philosophy emphasized democratization and accessibility in education. Harjevschi encouraged librarians to provide more diligent assistance to readers, facilitated access for children from poor families to reading rooms, and implemented the questionnaire method to better understand user needs. In addition to administrative activities, he founded the Society of Dramatic Art Amateurs and a popular theater, actively contributing to the cultural life of Chișinău. He maintained close relationships with renowned librarians of the Russian Empire, such as L. Nemoleațki, O. Nikolski, and M. Globa, thus strengthening the position of the Chișinău library within the network of similar institutions in the Eurasian region.