The Library of the Eparchy of Slavonia (Serbian Cyrillic: Библиотека Епархије славонске, Croatian: Knjižnica Eparhije slavonske), also known as the Pakrac's Library (Serbian Cyrillic: Пакрачка библиотека, Croatian: Pakračka knjižnica) and abbreviated as PEP,[1] is an cultural and historical institution of the Eparchy of Slavonia with a history of approximately 250 years.[2]
It is recognized as one of the most significant Serbian Orthodox Church libraries alongside those at the Hilandar Monastery and the Patriarchate of Belgrade.[2] The library contains over 20,000 volumes.[3] It is notable for its collection of early printed South Slavic books, making it the second-largest collection of its kind in the world.[2] The oldest item in the library is a 1497 edition of Vergil’s works in Latin, acquired with support from the Government of Republika Srpska.[2]
History
The library was established by orthodox bishop Kiril Živković and is today one of the oldest Serb cultural institutions in Croatia.[4]
During the Croatian War of Independence in 1990s in SAO Western Slavonia the library was at risk of destruction by Croatian forces.[2] The library was relocated twice in that period, with significant portions of its collection saved by Croatian officer Ivan Hiti from Varaždin.[4] He transported the collection to the National and University Library in Zagreb.[3] For this act, Hiti was awarded the Order of Saint Constantine by the Serbian Patriarch in 2013.[3] The library's collection, which includes many books and manuscripts, is now protected by the state due to its historical significance.[2]
After the end of the war library is undergoing a transformation to become a specialized academic institution and research centre.[5] Unlike a traditional lending library, it will primarily serve as a repository for research, focusing on providing access to its collections for scholarly study.[5]
In 2023 the University of Banja Luka and the Eparchy of Slavonia have established a partnership to advance research related to the library's collections.[2][6] This collaboration is expected to enhance academic access to and utilization of the library's resources.[2]
