The Joe Buley Library: A Unique Resource for the Study of Serbian History and Culture
- The Joe Buley Library:A Unique Resource for the Study of Serbian History and Culture
Introduction
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On November 18, 2004, an unusual library and resource center was created and blessed at the New Gračanica Monastery (Serbian Orthodox Diocese of New Gračanica-Midwestern America) in Third Lake, Illinois. Following a generous bequest from a Serbian-American businessman, Mr. Joe Buley, a library was established with the express purpose of preserving and promoting Serbian and Orthodox culture by collecting materials relating to Serbia—especially her history, language, religion, and culture. This library was also to serve as a circulating collection. Since Third Lake is located almost exactly half-way between Chicago and Milwaukee, it is a resource for a large and varied Serbian community of both metropolitan areas. Since the end of the nineteenth century, this geographical area has been a major center for Serbs in North America. It has been the home of several presses and bookstores over the years. Thus it would be natural to have a major research resource also located there. Thanks to the foresight and care of Mr. Joe Buley, and the strong support of clergy and laity, especially Bishop Longin, this resource is available and flourishing. It was the intention of Mr. Joe Buley and the trust he founded that the library be open to all scholars and interested people doing work related to Serbian and Serbian heritage. It was equally his desire that there be a circulating collection of materials to meet the needs of Serbian communities in the area. [End Page 87]
Description of Collection
At present the library has well over 9,000 books catalogued following the Library of Congress system, a mode of classification followed by many academic and research institutions. We expect that the entire book collection, when catalogued, will reach 12,000 or 13,000 items. Besides having received considerable donations from such organizations as the Serb National Federation, and other groups in both Serbia and the United States, the Joe Buley Library continues to receive donations from individuals. The result of the generosity of many is that we have a depth of materials as well as many rare items of importance for those doing research in Serbian (as well as Balkan) history and culture. The collection is strengthened by several runs of Serbian periodicals, some complete and others partial, including several from the early twentieth century. We also expect additions to this resource.
Our book collection is catalogued on a computer database, and is available for searching online. Go to: New Gračanica, then choose "monastery" (manastir), then Joe Buley Library. The link allows for searching both as a library catalogue of authors and titles and as a Shelf List of our many rare materials. The latter option can be of particular value for those doing research on a topic. By following the Library of Congress designation for a certain subject area in the Shelf List (such as the Balkan Wars or travel accounts of Serbia and the Balkans in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, both strengths in the collection) a scholar can find whether our resources suit his needs. A large number of these items are listed on WorldCat-OCLC, and the library continues to update these listings.
While much of our general book collection does circulate, rare items are restricted to use in the library. New Gračanica welcomes inquiries, and is happy to accommodate scholars who would like to visit. In order to enhance our core of Serbian materials, we have also provided a strong and growing selection of monographs relating to Balkan affairs and history, as well as Byzantine history and art, and Orthodox theology. Throughout our collection development we have concentrated on items that might not otherwise be readily available in other libraries in the United States. As examples, we recently received a complete edition of the works of the Russian historian of Byzantium, George Ostrogorsky, Pravila (Kanones) Pravoslavna Tuma Cenjima, and an unusually detailed monograph on the relations of Serbia and the Serbian Church with the Vatican by Ljubomir Durkovič-Jaksič.1 [End Page 88]
