The article aims to show how cultural workers construct a place through both general historical moments of community life and through individual experience. This study used the methods of conversation, questionnaire, semi-structured and in-depth interview, and observational participation. The research reveals that the feeling of home is best revealed through the individual experience of each respondent in relation to other co-workers. Connected by local history,
people, experiences and cultural features, cultural workers constantly recreate the local past through institutional festivities, commemorative activities, and communication between past and present community members. Past heroes of cultural institutions are not only important personalities who remember the local history and culture, but are also those who have a subjective influence on the professional identity and internal traditions of cultural workers.
Straipsnyje pateikiamas tyrimas, kokios tradicijos ir šventės paplitusios Ukmergės krašto kultūros darbuotojų bendruomenėse XX a. pradžioje – XXI a. pirmojoje pusėje. Remiantis lauko tyrimų medžiaga, surinkta 2019 m. Ukmergėje, galima teigti, kad kultūros darbuotojai yra susiję tiek profesiniais, tiek socialiniais ryšiais. Sovietiniais metais populiariausios buvo valdžios palaikomos šventės, kultūros darbuotojų seminarai, jubiliejai, o nepriklausomybės laikotarpiu išpopuliarėjo susibūrimai atskiruose įstaigų kolektyvuose, dažniau švenčiamos Kalėdos, organizuojamos įvairios profesinės bei pramoginės išvykos. Geriausių darbuotojų apdovanojimo tradicija, prasidėjusi nuo sovietmečiu vykusių socialistinių lenktynių, tebetęsiama ir šiandien renkant geriausią kultūros darbuotoją.
This article analyses and compares life narratives from the previous and currently working librarians of Ukmergė district between the time period of 2016–2018. The analysed narratives reveal the most distinct connections between identity of librarians and their professional activity, and reflect the realia of cultural and social life. Comparison of previous and current narratives reveals experiences of different generations having the same profession, what helps to understand how the specific features of human personality reveal in a specific time period. The narratives of librarians reveal the importance of the community when accepting a cultural worker to a team and supporting him/her, also the role of a library as a “shelter” for the community groups that are considered outcasts becomes apparent, and the supplementary social roles of a librarian are revealed.