sentences:  The institution was conceived as a reference library for supporting Belarus-related research; its chief aim was defined as "to collect all material, both in printed and manuscript forms, relating to Byelorussia, and to make it accessible to all those interested in any aspect of Byelorussian studies".By 1991, it acquired over 12,000 titles with an annual increase of 300-400.It was receiving practically all Belarusian publications, as well as those relating to Belarus, which appeared in BSSR, Poland and the West.