7th Social and Economic forum “Information Society” launched in Tver

7^th conference of the Social and Economic Forum “Information society” kicked off on July 8 in Tver. This forum is an annual All-Russian platform for an objective analysis of the current state of high-tech sector development, and identification of strategic priorities in implementation of governmental policy in the area of high technology.

The forum’s aim was to discuss current state and future plans for development of the information society and creation of the electronic government in the Russian Federation.

The forum brought together members of the Council under the RF President on development of information society, representatives of international organizations and foreign countries, representatives of Russian regions, who made up more than 70% of the total number of delegates.

High on the Forum’s agenda was implementation of the Development Strategy of the information society in the Russian Federation in regions.

The session of the Council under the RF President on development of information society was held in the A. M. Gorky Tver Regional Universal Library within the framework of the 7^th Tver social and economic forum "Information society". It aim was to estimate intermediate results and prospects of the work following priority directions of Information and Communication Technologies implementation in the social sector.

President of the Russian Federation Dmitry A. Medvedev stressed that broad introduction of information technologies would enable to handle three main goals. Firstly, information technologies reduce any distances, what is especially important for Russia, whose large territory is not only a competitive advantage but a problem as well. Thus, information technologies would provide citizens an equal access to the service, "create barrier-less space in Russia". Secondly, Information and Communication technologies would help to “improve the quality of services”. Thirdly, the President highlighted that broad implementation of information technologies in health care, education and culture would help to "plan budgetary expenses for social sector more accurately”.

During the session of the Council reports were delivered by heads of the Council’s interdepartmental Working groups: RF Minister of Health Care and Social Development Tatiana Golikova, RF Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeev, Chairman of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov, governors of other regions.

Within the framework of the forum was held another event very important for the library science – the 6^th session of the Public Committee for Russian libraries development assistance presided by B. V. Gryzlov. “It is important that the Public Committee has discussed and supported the new project “National library resource”. It will help to deal with legal problems, related to usage of digital copies of works”, - Boris V. Gryzlov said in the end of the discussion.

The project was initiated by national libraries of Russia. Their heads participated in the work of the Committee. At the session of the Committee the report was also delivered by the Director General of the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library Alexander P. Vershinin, from 2009 the member of the Public Committee for Russian libraries development assistance.