The collection contains original essays, articles and essays on the role of the book in the development of military affairs, published before 1917. The pain of the materials included in the collection are not known to a wide range of specialists and have not been used previously in historical and book studies. The works presented in the collection reflect the evolution of the views of the most enlightened representatives of the military community of Russia on the use of the book in the interests of training and education of troops. The book is intended for researchers studying the history of books, books and libraries, employees of military libraries, can be used in the educational process of military universities and in the practice of educational work in military collectives.