Conference: “The Book, Literacy and the Library in the Digital Age”

A two-day academic conference titled “The Book, Literacy and the Library in the Digital Age” was held on December 24–25 at the initiative of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Library, with the support of Tbilisi City Assembly and Tbilisi City Hall.
The event was dedicated to the history of Georgian literacy and contemporary challenges. It was symbolically linked to the anniversaries of two prominent figures of Georgian culture: the 375th anniversary of the birth of Anthim the Iberian and the 320th anniversary of Davit Guramishvili’s birth.

The conference was opened by Academician Jaba Samushia, Rector of Tbilisi State University. The participants were addressed by Zviad Gabisonia, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia and Tinatin Nibloshvili, Deputy Chairperson of the Tbilisi City Assembly.

Within the framework of the conference, a unique copy of Davit Guramishvili’s “Davitiani” was presented, each page of which was symbolically hand-copied by graduates of Tbilisi State University, members of the City Assembly and well-known public figures.

The first day of the conference was devoted to presentations on the history of Georgian literacy, the book culture and printing. Additionally, development of printing and its impact on the culture and social conditions of the country were discussed.
The second day of the conference was devoted to panel discussions and a practical component. Restorers from the Tbilisi State University Library conducted demonstration workshops, during which they introduced participants to the specifics of conservation and restoration of ancient editions.

The conference was attended by Tamar Kavtaradze, Head of Caucasus International University Library, who made a presentation on the topic: “The Transformation of Book Culture in Georgia: From the National Mission of the 19th Century to Digital Individualism”. The presented papers will be published in the form of an academic collection.
The concluding event of the academic conference was held at Tbilisi City Assembly. The event was summarized by Zurab Abashidze, Chairperson of Tbilisi City Assembly, who awarded the conference speakers with certificates. It is noteworthy that the presented works will be published as an academic volume.