Rachiteanscaia Valentina

About

Valentyna Rakytianska, born on October 15, 1948, in Bender, Republic of Moldova (then Tighina, in the Moldavian SSR), graduated from the Kharkiv State Institute of Culture in 1972 and dedicated her entire career of over 50 years to the library field. She began as a bibliographer and methodologist at the Kharkiv State Scientific Library (HОUNB), rapidly advancing to leadership positions: head of department, chief bibliographer, deputy director for scientific work (from 1984), and then director (1995-2007). Under her leadership, the library was modernized with funds from the US Embassy, introducing internet centers, electronic databases such as "Culture of the Kharkiv Region," and a local network, transforming it into a modern information center. From 2007 to 2021, she managed the Korolenko State Scientific Library in Kharkiv, the second largest in Ukraine, where she implemented major innovations: digitization of collections, creation of a new internet center, a library science office, the annual Science Festival (since 2012), and a library journalism school. She expanded the network of rural libraries with 27 new branches (2005-2006), founded societies such as the Kharkiv Library Society (1990), and chaired the regional branch of the Ukrainian Library Association (2011-2019). She collaborated with international institutions, securing grants for projects like "E-life with the Library" and support for refugees, contributing to national library science policies. Recognized as the "Defender of the Library Treasures of Sloboda Ukraine," she received titles such as Honored Worker of Ukrainian Culture (1999), the Order of Princess Olga III (later dating), Honorary Citizen of Kharkiv Region (2013), and regional diplomas. Born into the family of a bridge builder (maiden name: Shelkov), she remained dedicated to her adopted region, passing away on October 23, 2021, in Kharkiv, at the age of 73, due to COVID-19, leaving behind a legacy of memorial projects and library traditions.