Pirmosios Šiaulių valstybinių ir visuomeninių draugijų ir organizacijų bibliotekos ir skaityklos ir jų knygos ženklai: XIX a. - XX a. pr
ENOn September 11, 1851, the first public library in town was opened in Šiauliai Boys’ High School. In 1861, in Šiauliai was founded the first public Society Library, which functioned till 1864. During the periods of 1874–1875 and 1882–1890 a small secret library of Šiauliai Boys’ High School was housed in Count V. Zubovas’ mansion. On December 6, 1897, Temperance Care Committee established in Šiauliai a free library and reading room, named after Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. In 1902, in Šiauliai was opened a public Society Library, located on the first floor of Count V. Zubovas’ mansion. The library continued to exist from membership and reader fees and charitable funds. The Society Library was open to anyone wishing to read, so it is considered to be the initial development stage of Šiauliai Public Library. During World War I, in 1914, the main part of Šiauliai Public Library along with the archive was transported to Russia.
