OUR FRIEND – THE JBI LIBRARY
OUR FRIEND – THE JBI LIBRARY
It's no secret that the average age of Russian-speaking emigrants is steadily rising, and therefore more and more of our compatriots are in need of various forms of outside assistance. Whether it's medical, physical, or household assistance, or free food supplies, the situation is more or less favorable. As for cultural services, however, there are some serious problems. Elderly people often no longer have the physical strength to visit not only museums, theaters, concert halls, but even libraries. Incidentally, in most New York City district libraries, the selection of Russian-language books, magazines, and newspapers is very limited and haphazard, while the majority of elderly Russian-speaking emigrants of various nationalities, and especially Jews, have a solid education and intellectual level. This generation grew up on high standards of culture, and especially literature.
This issue is a major focus in the United States. For over 90 years, the JBI Library has been helping people engage in Jewish social, literary, and cultural life. Library services are available to anyone with low vision, blindness, or who has suffered a serious illness that prevents them from holding a book, or anyone who has difficulty understanding print. All JBI services are completely free and available to people of all ages, anywhere. The JBI Library offers a large collection of "talking books," including over 1,100 in Russian, which can be listened to on a special tape recorder, which is provided completely free of charge. Home delivery of "talking books" is also free.
The JBI Library is more than a collection of books and texts. It is a community cultural hub where you can find information about cultural programs and inquiries about assistance for those with physical or visual impairments.
Meetings at the Literary Salon, which can be joined via Zoom or by phone, are a huge hit with Russian-speaking readers. They're a wonderful opportunity to discuss books they've read and simply connect with other book lovers from across the country.
The library publishes a Russian-language audio magazine, "Russian Voice of JBI," four times a year. It features a selection of interesting articles from newspapers and magazines on a wide range of topics. The library also offers religious materials in large print in Russian: the Torah, the Books of the Prophets and Scriptures, the Passover Haggadah, Magilat Esther, the Siddur, and an annual calendar.
New books are constantly being recorded in the library's studio, and the collection is constantly growing. The books are recorded by volunteers, many of whom are professional actors and masters of the spoken word. Among them are Vladimir and Victoria Andreyev, Viktor Persik, Elena Stroganova, Polina Starostina, and Irina Bavalskaya.
More than 30 years ago, Russian poet Vladimir Andreev recorded the Torah in Russian at JBI. Recalling this, librarian Inna Sukholutskaya invited Vladimir Andreev to record poetry by Russian poets.
The offer proved to be quite opportune. In 2022, Vladimir Andreev, now a New York publisher, released "Poets of Time," a collection of selected poems by classic poets who had visited America, as well as living poets. The book gained widespread acclaim not only in the United States but also in other countries where Russian poetry is appreciated: from Russia and Ukraine to Europe and Australia. Vladimir Andreev recorded eight programs: "There is Eternal Love," "Poetry Breathes Time," "Time Chose Us," and "I Leaf Through Life Like a Book," which included poems by Sergei Yesenin, Andrei Voznesensky, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Bulat Okudzhava, Vladimir Vysotsky, and other poets, including our living contemporaries: Pavel Grushko, Inna Bogachinskaya, Lera Auerbach, Dina Liberman, and Valery Pevzner.
In August of this year, New York State Assemblyman Alec Brooke-Krasny visited the JBI Library. After learning about the Library's work, he said, "This organization fulfills an extremely important humanitarian purpose, helping people with visual impairments, and especially the elderly, lead active cultural lives. On the other hand, people feel this kind of community care, which, frankly, is often lacking in our country. Many of my constituents have this kind of support, so I see the library's work as an aid to my work. I also intend to recommend the JBI Library to my colleagues so they can inform their constituents."
For many years, Russian-speaking listeners of "talking books," despite vision problems, continue to enjoy books by their favorite authors and get acquainted with new additions.
If you or your relatives or friends would like to receive free services from the JBI library, please contact Russian-speaking employee Inna Sukholutskaya by phone.
Here are just some of the reviews from library users:
Maria Markovich (Ohio):
"We live beneath ourselves, unaware of the country," wrote Osip Mandelstam. Here in America, I felt for the first time that we "live beneath ourselves, unaware of the country," especially after losing our sight. Darkness. And suddenly, like a ray of sunshine—JBI. We were delighted with the opening of the Literary Salon, where we, Russian-speaking readers from all over America, can communicate and discuss the books we've read. I am very pleased with the poetic lines recorded by the wonderful artists Vladimir and Victoria Andreev. Thank you to the library for a newfound window onto the world, words in my native language. For the visually impaired or those who have lost their sight, this is very important."
Rosa Simkhovich (Arizona):
"Having been visually impaired since my teens, I began using books on cassette tapes shortly after emigrating to the United States in 1979. Besides enriching my life, these talking books helped me improve my English and change careers, eventually becoming a university professor."
Margarita Kozlova (North Carolina):
"I've been a reader my whole life, never parting with books, whether at work or in my everyday life. When I went blind and lost the ability to read, the library of talking books helped me get back into books. For me, this library is everything! I can't exist without it."
Tamara Bavalskaya (New York):
"I'm so happy to be able to use audiocassettes from the JBI library. I've loved reading my whole life, but after losing my sight, I couldn't even see the lines with a magnifying glass. Then, like a savior, I learned about a library that helps the blind and visually impaired hear books read by professionals, not just see them. I can choose any book from a large, diverse catalog and enjoy listening to it within a few days!!! Thank you to everyone who works at the library and helps us return to the world of literature!!! What a wonderful cause and a great help!"
The gratitude of readers and listeners is something that the JBI Library has rightfully earned.
If you or your relatives or friends would like to receive free services from the JBI library, please contact Russian-speaking employee Inna Sukholutskaya by phone (212) 889-3754 or by email at [email protected]
Bring back the joy of reading!
Vitaly Orlov
