Obituary: István Papp (1931-2023)

On behalf of both current and former staff members of the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library, I extend my heartfelt condolences on the passing of István Papp, our former Deputy Director General.

István Papp, born in Zalaegerszeg in 1931, was widely recognized in the city as the son of a confectioner's family. His formative years were greatly influenced by his attendance at the Benedictine High School in Pannonhalma, and this connection with the monastic order continued throughout his lifetime. In 1956, he graduated from ELTE with a degree in library science. He began his career as a public librarian in Zalaszentgrót. He traveled through the villages as a kind of bicycle methodologist. He later continued his work at the Pest County Library. From 1959 onwards, he worked at the Education Department of the Centre for Library Science and Methodology (KMK) at the National Széchényi Library. In this role, he organized secondary courses for people who wanted to become librarians. In later years, he served in the Administration Department, and from 1965, he worked in the Library Department of the Ministry of Education. Between 1969 and 1982, he played a pivotal role during the legendary era of the Centre for Library Science and Methodology. His contributions included modernizing education, consolidating the 'New Books' program, establishing an unified national library network, and pioneering sociological studies on reading. From 1982 to 1985, he served as the secretary of the National Council of Libraries. From 1985 until his retirement in 1998, it marked the peak of his professional career and the commencement of the modernization of the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library. During this period, he energetically and enthusiastically spearheaded the reconstruction of the Central Library.