Abstract:
Subject of this study is Todor Borov’s role for the creation and practical realization of an innovatory model of bibliographic services in line with European models, as a major element of the cultural policy of Bulgaria. This model had taken shape in the first half of the 20th century under the influence of ideas prevailing among Bulgarian intelligentsia (Alexander Theodorov-Balan , Nikola Mihov, Alexander Balabanov and others), the German theoretical school of the 20s-30s, a school whose disciple Borov was, and later, the Russian bibliographical school. In a number of publications T.Borov outlined his views on book-science, bibliography, library science, and scientific information as academic disciplines. Т. Borov believed in a model of values of book science as a discipline for the working on the creation of books and publishing activities, however of new, original, useful books, necessary for the public. From a theoretical point of view Т. Borov considers bibliography as a specific field of research, on the border between bibliography and textology, book science, literary criticism, and history, fringe sciences, associated with the text as a sovereign information source. T. Borov created his own specific research method, based on a combination of bibliographic and textological research, a unique and clear genre in Bulgarian humanitarian sciences, which stand for ‘a critical-bibliographic study’.
In library practice T.Borov called for the establishment of a system of cultural institutions and provides management methods and an organization of activities corresponding to level of European theory and practice of the 20th century. He launched and carried out a large-scale project, where these institutions are planned as the support of supreme Bulgarian culture proper. Central to this project are books, T.Borov’s vision is based on the concept of the use of recorded information and knowledge, through specialization and differentiation of intellectual activities, as well as the implicit manifestation of this process in cultural activities. T. Borov’s greatest achievement is the creation of the Bulgarian Bibliographical Institute as a model information institution (the 40s – to the 60s) and the organization of the modern National Library (the 40s – 50s) of the 20th century.
T. Borov has also played a major role in the field of education in Library Information Science (LIS) in Bulgaria. Owing to his efforts the University of Sofia created the first specialized university chair in this field and introduced the discipline at the University. He promoted a an innovative model for the training of specialists for the needs research libraries and information centers, which require overall library training as well as specialization and thus acquire professional competencies for library. T. Borov has created a flexible curriculum, guaranteeing the effective potential of universities, the convergence and integration in the curriculum for training specialists in archival studies and LIS, interdisciplinary subjects within the curriculum.
