The date of foundation of the university is November 28th, 1918, the day of publication of the decree on the establishment of a special institute in St. Petersburg to train trainers and workers in adult education, signed by the People's Commissar for Education Lunacharskii and Commissioner for adult education LR Menzhinsky.
December 20, 1918 in the house number 35 on Nadezhdinskaya Street (now Mayakovsky Str.), Held the first meeting of students and teachers of a new institution of higher education. On the same day classes began. The first director of the Institute (1918-1924 gg.) Became Vasili Adamovich Zelenko, scientist, teacher, member of the board of extracurricular department Commissariat of Public Education (Narkompros).
First 265 students preparing to become specialists of the Institute of Library and theater business, music education, heads of cultural and educational departments, organizers of museums and exhibitions. In the formation of the Institute actively participated prominent scientists, experts in the field of bibliography and book science, Academician NP Likhachev, A. Fomin, KR Simon, talented actors, directors, musicians, artists NF Skarskaya, P . P. Gaideburov, the creator of the Soviet theater for children AA Bryantsev, artists of the theater V.
