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THE LATGALIAN PRIMERS (1768–2020)
The book “Latgalian Primers” furnishes information on various types of the Latgalian primers by commenting on the principles of their compilation and illustrating as well as by mentioning their most typical features and peculiarities. All the examples have been given in the orthography used in the book in question, preserving the obvious spelling and punctuation mistakes; now and then they have been pointed out. Almost 100 different primers have been written in the Latgalian language and for Latgalians. In this book they have been grouped as follows, namely, catechism primers, primers written by Latgalian authors, Latvian primers adapted for Latgalian schools, modern Latgalian primers, Latgalian primers published in Russia and primers for Russification and Letonisation of Latgalians. In Latgalian a primer is called “lementars” (Polish – elementarz, Lithuanian – elementorius, Belorussian – лемантар). It is a shortened form of the word “elementārs” (Latin elementarius – initial, elementary). The Latgalian primers have been written in different orthographies. The compilers of the Latgalian primers, published in the 18th and 19th centuries, have made use of the Polish orthography; however, already the very first Latgalian primers (the so-called catechism primers) demonstrate the typical features of the Latgalian language quite precisely. The information is scarce as regards the very first authors, compilers of the Latgalian primers. The most popular authors of the Latgalian original primers are Francis Kemps, Francis Trasuns and Eduards Kozlovskis, but in Russia – Izidors Meikšāns. At the end of the book a chronological list of Latgalian primers as well as a list of events (exhibitions, conferences, etc.) related to primers and author’s publications on Latgalian primers in English and French have been added. THE BOOK ON PURLOVA
The first part of the book acquaints with the history of the village Purlova and the Lazdulejas civil parish of the Balvu region. It provides texts on the provenance of Purlova and information on its inhabitants and their occupations including various documents from the archives and photos. The second chapter provides a general outline of phonetics and grammar of the Purlovas subdialect of the Latgalian language. In the section of phonetics, the peculiarities of the orthography and pronunciation the Purlovas subdialect of the Latgalian language have been outlined and the main differences in comparison with the Latgalian and the Latvian languages have been explained. In the section of grammar all the parts of speech have been characterised in brief. A vocabulary of the words of the Purlovas subdialect of the Latgalian language with the translation into Latvian is found in the second chapter as well. The vocabulary “Words of the Purlovas Subdialect of the Latgalian Language in the data base Intercontinental Dictionary Series (IDS)” and a primer compiled according to the sound method have also been added. THE COLLECTION OF PRIMERS AND ABC-BOOKS OF PEOPLES OF THE WORLD
The book of reference provides information on collecting of primers and ABC-books in Belarusian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Estonian, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Irish, Italian, Latgalian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Manchu, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Ukrainian. Lists of the languages and countries represented in the collection as well as of publications, exhibitions and other activities related to primers and ABC-books and their collecting have been included in this book of reference. 10,000 ABC-bøgerThe magazine ”Li letro de Font-Segugno” (France) has published my articles in French:
EXHIBITION “ABC-BOOKS AND PRIMERS OF THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD”
On April 26, 2018 the National Library of Belarus hosted the opening of the international exhibition “ABC-books and primers of the peoples of the world”. At the exhibition for the first time in Belarus about 1,400 primers have been presented in almost 600 languages of the most diverse peoples of the five parts of the world – Europe, Asia, America, Africa, Australia and Oceania. Each exhibit is a miniature encyclopaedia, in which, in a visual and fascinating form, knowledge is given about the history, geography, culture of its people. The basis of the exposition is a unique private collection of ABC-books and primers of the Latvian pedagogue, author of primers and books about the peoples of the world and their languages, the collector Juris Cibuļs. The collection numbers about 10,000 items in 1,132 languages. This is the largest collection of its kind in the world. A special place at the exhibition is occupied by Belarusian ABC-books for teaching literacy in the 16th–21st centuries from the collections of the National Library of Belarus. Different in composition, graphics, decoration, pedagogical teaching methods, they demonstrate the 400-year history of the Belarusian ABC-book. The exhibition will work in the Museum of the Book of the National Library of Belarus until September. Skreineite
At the end of April, 2017 the Latvian Language Agency published a complete set for teaching the Latgalian language – a primer, a workbook for writing and reference material on the primer for teachers. In the compilation of the Latgalian primer “Skreineite” (The Little Chest) the new “Rules of the Latgalian Orthography”, approved in 2007, have been taken into account. The new primer is a book of a classical type of the primary education intended for teaching to read in Latgalian. It can be used for home-teaching, in kindergartens or at primary schools. The sound method has been recognised the most appropriate method for teaching to read in the Baltic languages; it has several variants. The primer “Skreineite” has been compiled according to the analytically synthetic method. Exhibition of ABC-books
The exhibition of ABC-books and primers takes place in the Culture and History Museum of Latgale in Rezekne from January 4 to February 6, 2017. The presentation of Juris Cibuļs “Peoples of the World, their Languages and ABC-books and Primers” will take place on January 21. Valodu un tautu brīnumainā pasaule
This book furnishes various information on many peoples (their traditions, customs, beliefs and their language, orthography and ABC-books and primers) in the alphabetical order of their names in the Latvian language: Abkhazians, Chelkans, Desano, the peoples of Ethiopia, the peoples of Canada, Karamojong, Koreans, Kurds, the peoples of China, Seto, Toda, Tuvians and Uighurs. A separate chapter has been dedicated to auxiliary languages as a means of intercourse and ABC-books and primers for different groups of people – the blind, the deaf, the deaf-mute, the left-handers, for children with special needs as well as for various religious denominations and migrants. The everyday life phenomena and events (parents, relatives, clothing, meals, drinks, surrounding plants and animals, daily activities, holidays) considered in ABC-books and primers of all the peoples have been looked at from an original point of view. THE BOOK OF PURLOVA
The introductory part of the book acquaints with the history of the village Purlova and the Lazdulejas civil parish of the Balvu region. The first part provides a general outline of phonetics and grammar of the Purlovas subdialect of the Latgalian language. In the section of phonetics the peculiarities of orthography and pronunciation of the Purlovas subdialect of the Latgalian language have been outlined and the main differences in comparison with the Latgalian and Latvian languages have been explained. In the section of grammar all the parts of speech have been characterised in brief. 
In the second chapter the reader will find supplements on the provenance of Purlova and information on its inhabitants and their occupations including various documents from the archives. A glossary of the words of the Purlovas subdialect of the Latgalian language is found in the second chapter as well. The glossary contains the words not found in the Latvian language and provides their translation into Latvian. A supplement “Words of the Purlovas Subdialect of the Latgalian Language in the Data Base Intercontinental Dictionary Series (IDS)” and a primer compiled according to the sound method have also been added. Juris Cibuļs was awarded the annual Latgalian Culture Prize “Boņuks 2014” in the nomination “Literature: The Best Publication/Book” for his book “Purlovas grāmata”. The book “The Wondrous Worlds of Peoples” furnishes information on 60 nations or peoples, their traditions, customs, beliefs, languages, etc. in the alphabetical order of their names in the Latvian language: Ainu, Aleuts, Arabs, Basques, Buryats, Bushmen, Chechens, Gypsies, Chukchees, Dayaks, Dolgans, Enets, Eskimos, Evens, Evenks, Egyptians, Khanty, Hawaiians, Brazilian Indians, peoples of India, Itelmens, Izhorians, Yakuts, Yanomami, Yukagirs, Karaites, Karens, Kereks, Kets, Copts, Koryaks, Kumandins, peoples of China, Lakota, Macedonians, Mansi, Melanesians, Mingrels, Moken, Nanais, Negidals, Nganasans, Nivkhs, Nenets, Orochs, Papuans, Pitjantjatjara Aborigines, Piraha, Pomaks, Rapa Nui, Saami, Selkups, Sorbs, Tibetans, Tofalars, Udeghes, Uilta, Ulchis, Veps and Votes. The book provides information also on the ABC-books and primers of these peoples and the ways how they have been obtained for the collection. 
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