#9
Moscow News
March 20-16, 2002
Lenin Library To Go Digital
By Alexander Korobov Vremya MN
Last week a project, Development of Electronic Reader Servicing System, was presented at the Russian State Library (RGB)
The U.S.-based Andrew W. Mellon charity foundation donated $1.5 million to the project that will be managed by the British Council Russia office. The project sets ambitious goals. First of all, an electronic catalog of all books published in the past 20 years is to be created. It will comprise approximately one million entries from the 1980-1998 archives of the Russian Book Chamber plus an additional 800,000 from the RGB electronic catalog, maintained since 1998. At stage two, an automated reader service system will be put in place. Over time, anyone will be able to order books through the Internet using the same electronic catalog. Moreover, the reader will know immediately whether the book he needs is currently available at the library. There will also be a music catalog with 380,000 entries. According to the project's authors, it will provide access to a unique collection of music publications.
Furthermore, the RGB is converting books into digital format. At present there are approximately 2,000 publications available at the electronic storage facility, which are daily read by 1,200 visitors. Given that the whole library services not more than 5,000 readers a day, the figure is fairly impressive.
Against the backdrop of such far-reaching plans, day-to-day operation of the legendary Lenin Library is far more modest. Renovation that began about two years ago has yet to be completed. Recently a part of the hitherto inaccessible stock became available to readers. Progress is impeded by logistical problems. Say, to automate the issuing of books, 249 computers will need to be installed at various sections of the library. Although this year's budget is 40 percent higher that last year's, it is barely enough to keep the library going with no funds left for development. So management has to appeal to charity.
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