Bibliyotekn: Yiddish Popular Book Series, 1890–1939

The article provides a general overview of a new phenomenon in the Yiddish book market at the end of the 19th century and developed in various directions until the outbreak of World War II. It was numerous initiatives and motivations to publish popular, yet instructive, Yiddish book series, better known as Bibliotekn (libraries) devoted to belle lettres, sciences, political ideologies, and literature for children. From the geographical point of view the article will concentrate in Eastern Europe (i.e. the Pale of Settlement, Congress Poland and the second Polish Republic). The overview will be mainly thematic with a general chronological order.