Prof. Omeljan Pritsak (1919-2006) - internationally noted scholar of Ukrainian and Turkic studies, co-founder and long-time director of Harvard’s Ukrainian Research Institute, founder, editor, or an early stalwart of a number of periodicals and monographic series in Germany, USA, and Ukraine.
Pritsak was a medievalist who specialized in the use of oriental, especially Turkic, sources for the history of Kyivan Rus', early modern Ukraine, and the European Steppe region.
For 70 years of active scientific activities Pritsak had collected a huge volume and rich in structural and content library, archival and art collection, which contains manuscripts, printed editions, publications, historical sources, archival documents and artistic and cultural monuments on philosophy, linguistics, world history, Oriental Studies, Slavic Studies, Scandinavian Studies, archeology, numismatics, philosophy and so on.
In 2007, thanks to the Kyiv Mohyla Foundation in USA assistance, Pritsak`s significant collection was received to the NaUKMA. And on the basis of this collection were created and opened Omeljan Pritsak Memorial Library.
Archival collection is a kind of extension and supplement of Pritsak`s library collection. On the one hand, it also reflects his many years' active scientific activities as a scientist, and on the other hand - gives a vivid description of O. Pritsak as a person, son, friend, colleague, researcher. Because except scientific material archival collection consist of his personal documents, epistolary collection, photos other materials.
Art collection had been formed by Pritsak since 1950 and reflects his scientific interests, his aesthetic preferences. It includes articles, decorative art, paintings and graphics, archaeological and numismatic materials, and a great collection of plates and DVDs.
The library collection consists of over 20 thousand items. There are manuscripts, incunabula, reference and encyclopedia editions, monographs, periodicals, convolutes, Ukrainian classical literature, art editions, fictions in all European languages and over 20 Oriental languages. Library items are available through the electronic catalog.
