The article is dedicated to Yury Nikolaevich Stolyarov, an outstanding Russian librarian, and his contribution to the preservation of traditional library values. His role in preservation of the Library Science Office of the Russian State Library is demonstrated. The author focuses mainly on Stolyarov's contribution to the struggle against the merge of the Russian State Library (RSL) and the National Library of Russia (RNL). Stolyarov took the most active part in drafting the letter to RF President Vladimir Putin later signed by leading library scientists, in which objections to the merge of the two national libraries were substantiated. Yury Nikolaevich also participated in drafting the resolution of the Regnum news agency round table on the problem of merging these libraries. The main emphasis is placed on the outstanding scientist's civic position in defending the interests of national libraries.