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Birth of Vladimir Izmailovich Mezhov, prominent Russian bibliographer specialist
Vladimir Izmailovich Mezhov, Russian eminent bibliographer professional was born May 17 (29), 1830 in Saratov.
Vladimir Izmailovich came from an impoverished noble family. His father, Ismail T. Mezhov, served as a staff physician, died shortly after the birth of his son. The boy was raised by his mother. In 1840, with the assistance of V. A. Zhukovsky, Vladimir entered to Gatchina Orphan Institute, graduating in 1850.
In April 1851, Vladimir Izmailovich joined the Imperial Public Library as a clerical officer; two years later he was promoted to the position of registrar. From 1855, on the basis of legal deposit, Mezhov occupied himself with the current bibliography, organizing timely account of newly arrived books. In 1856, Mezhov was charged with drafting quarterly lists of new books for the "Notes of the Fatherland." Later Vladimir Izmailovich collaborated with other magazines: "Russkaya beseda," "Bibliographic notes," "Journal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs," "Book Bulletin." Along with compiling a bibliography of books and periodicals on the basis of legal deposit, in 1858 Mezhov began to register the articles from all periodicals received by the library. Combined file cabinet of issued books and articles in the future became the basis for writing general and thematic bibliographies.
In February 1866, Mezhov submitted his resignation from the library "for family reasons." From that time, he began his professional activities as a bibliographer. Vladimir Izmailovich’s sphere of interest was extensive: Russian history, archeology, geography, ethnography, statistics, linguistics, pedagogy, law, working and Jewish issues, charity. For his directory "Peasant question in Russia" (1865) Mezhov was awarded the Imperial cash prize. He compiled the first major «Puschkiniana» (1886), published bibliographies of books and articles on S. T. Aksakov (1888), A. S. Griboyedov (1889); bibliographies of editions issued on the anniversary of Emperor Peter I (1881), M. V. Lomonosov, N. M. Karamzin, I. A. Krylov (1871). He compiled a catalog of bookstores of A. F. Bazunov, Ya. I. Isakov, I. I. Glazunov and a multivolume reference of articles from newspaper and journals.
Mezhov had significantly contributed to local history bibliography as well. For twenty years, from 1867, Vladimir Izmailovich had been compiling a bibliography of the Turkestan Territory at the request of its Governor-General, K. P. von Kaufman. The "Turkestan Collection", comprising 416 volumes, incorporates information on scientific studies, researches, newspaper and magazine publications in Russian and foreign languages related to Central Asia.
In addition, on behalf of the General Staff, Vladimir Izmailovich worked on the "Bibliography of Asia" (1891-1894). Mezhov prepared also "Siberian Bibliography" (1891-1892), which, like the "Russian Historical Bibliography" (1892-1893), was published by means of the gold-miner, philanthropist I. M. Sibiryakov.
Mezhov’s literary heritage comprises more than 100 bibliographic works on various branches of knowledge, the practical value of which has not lost its relevance even today.
Vladimir Izmailovich Mezhov died 17 (29) May, 1894 in St. Petersburg, and was buried in the Smolensk cemetery.
Lit.: Языков Д. Д. Библиографические труды В. И. Межова // ИВ. 1894. № 7. Фрадкина 3. Л. В. И. Межов (1830-1894). М., 1949.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Межов В. И. Литература русской географии, этнографии и статистики. СПб., 1861-1864Т. 1;
Межов В. И. Литература русской географии, этнографии и статистики. СПб., 1878. Т. 7;
Межов В.И. Литература русской географии, этнографии и статистики. СПб., 1883. Т. 9;
Межов В. И. Библиографический указатель галицко-русской литературы. СПб., 1862;
Межов В. И. Крестьянский вопрос в России. СПб., 1865;
Межов В. И. Литература русской истории за 1859-1864 г. вкл. СПб., 1866. Т. 1;