Service Department
Veliko Tarnovo
Personalities, events, and interesting facts
The publication "On the Tracks of History from Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Lovech, and Pleven. Personalities, events, and interesting facts" is being released on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the "Mizia" local history association. The book is an attempt to bring together in one place what cannot be captured in dry dates and historical facts – the spirit of the place, the power of tradition, the memory of the people.
The Mizia Association includes the local history departments of the Petko R. Slaveykov Regional Library in Veliko Tarnovo, the Aprilov-Palauzov Regional Library in Gabrovo, the Prof. Benyu Tsonev Regional Library in Lovech, and the Hristo Smirnenski Regional Library in Pleven.
"On the Tracks of History from Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Lovech, and Pleven. Personalities, Events, and Interesting Facts" is the result of the joint work of librarians from the above-mentioned libraries.
The main idea of the proposed edition is to cover and present to the reader a wide range of personalities, events, and facts related to the past and history of the cities of Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Lovech, Pleven, and their regions. These settlements are not just streets, buildings, and events from the pages of printed works, but the living memory of people—their dreams, labor, suffering, celebrations, and heritage.
The book covers one hundred materials, twenty-five texts presented by each library. The individual publications do not claim to be scientific, but rather have a journalistic character. The published expositions confront the compilers with already completed research, highlighted events, and characterized personalities. However, such a local history publication, arranged in this way and bringing together the past of these settlements, has not been available on the book market until now. Its very printing and publication in this format and with this content reveals family ties, a rise in literacy, education, and social activity, as well as historical and cultural parallels between Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Lovech, and Pleven. The first lady of Bulgarian architecture, Veliko Tarnovo architect Victoria Angelova-Vinara, wins third prize in the competition for the Military Club building in Pleven; the madcap head of Bulgarian aviation Petko Popganchev becomes director of the State Aircraft Factory in Lovech; Gabrovo educator, mathematician, and physicist Acad. the Gabrovo educator, mathematician, and physicist Acad. Ivan Gyuzelev is the father of the talented Veliko Tarnovo composer Bogdana Gyuzeleva-Vulpe; The founder of modern Bulgarian linguistics, Prof. Benyu Tsonev, taught at the Petropavlovska Seminary near Lyaskovets, etc. The publication itself is evidence supporting the participation of these cities and their libraries in the only local history association in the country.
The texts present individual figures from the Bulgarian Renaissance who made a significant contribution to the economic, cultural, and social development of their native region. These were Bulgarians who kept local identities alive in the context of our national culture, historical events, and processes.
It is only natural that this type of literature should include illustrative material to enrich and illustrate the proposed text. The included photo collection is accompanied by annotations and the source from which the photos were selected is indicated.
The local history publication "On the Tracks of History from Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Lovech, and Pleven. Personalities, Events, and Interesting Facts" is aimed at young readers with the aim of encouraging their love for their homeland and native region. It is also useful for all those researchers and local historians who preserve local memories and traditions.
The history of a city is actually the individual stories of the people and families who lived there, the events that took place there, and the first discoveries and processes that have become part of its appearance and memory.
A young woman with a dark past...
Milly desperately needs a job. After a long search and numerous rejections, luck finally smiles on her. She is hired as a maid by the wealthy Nina Winchester, who lives in a luxurious house with her husband Andrew and their spoiled and capricious daughter Cecilia.
Series: Robert Langdon
The author of the world's most famous thrillers returns with a stunning new novel—a stimulating, twist-filled, mind-bending masterpiece that will engage readers in a way only Dan Brown can.
The mysteries of Bulgarian folklore come to life in monstrous dimensions in the sequel to Mamnik - Lehus.
Ever since the Petko R. Slaveykov Regional Library launched a national competition for writing crime stories under the general title "The (Un)solved Case" in 2021, we have often been asked where, when, and how the submitted works could be read.
Fortunately, since mid-September 2025, we have been able to enjoy a printed book edition. This was made possible thanks to financial support from the Ministry of Culture under the program "Technological renewal, technological equipment, and promotion of reading, media, and information literacy in public libraries." The collection bears the same title, "The (Un)revealed Case," and contains all 23 stories by the participants who won prizes in the four editions of the competition held so far. Although some of the authors have had individual texts published previously, most of them are not professional writers in the true sense of the word. This undoubtedly adds even more significance to their intellectual efforts.
With the longest and most successful implementation is the annual competition "My hometown". Its first edition was in 2000 and has since become a favorite and recognizable for the participants from the city and the region.
Regional Library "Petko R. Slaveykov" - Veliko Tarnovo over the last ten years has established an extremely prestigious cultural event, which is the "Foyer of the book with an autograph". The philosophy of this forum is related to the promotion of Bulgarian printed book production not only in the region, but also nationally.
The National Crime Writing Contest, under the general title of "/The/ Unsolved Case," will launch in 2021. The contest is held over a one- or two-month period, traditionally during the fall season of a given calendar year.
The Summer Campaign "Come to the Library" is an initiative, conceptually designed to provoke the students from I to XII grade from Veliko Tarnovo, who are readers of RL "Petko R. Slaveykov" to read more and more books during the summer holidays.
Library professionals from the P. R. Slaveykov Regional Library conducted a professional working visit to Reykjavík, Iceland.
During the visit, they toured Veröld – House of Vigdís – a cultural center and institute dedicated to languages and culture, as well as the National and University Library of Iceland and the Grofin City Library, Reykjavik.
Dear Readers,
In connection with the upcoming holidays, we would like to inform you that on April 9, 2026, the library will be open to the public with holiday hours:
Main Building (2 Ivanka Boteva St.) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
BIC "Slaveiche" (7 Simeon Veliki St.), "Buzludzha" Branch (8 Denyu Chokanov St.), and the "Art" Department (8 Krakov St.) – from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
On April 10, 11, 12, and 13, 2026, the library will be closed to the public.
Please visit us again on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
The team at the "Petko R. Slaveykov" Regional Library wishes you a Happy Easter!
Sorry, this website uses features that your browser doesn’t support. Upgrade to a newer version of Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge and you’ll be all set.
Уважаеми Читатели,
На 11 май 2026 г. (Професионален празник на библиотекарите и информационните специалисти) РБ "П. Р. Славейков" - Велико Търново и нейните филиали няма да работят с читатели.
Ще ви очакваме отново на 12 май с обичайното работно време.
Извиняваме се за причиненото неудобство!