The Presidential library opens its reading room in Beijing

On September 27 2010 the Boris Yeltsin Presidential library is opening its first electronic reading room abroad in Beijing. The event is timed to the opening of the Russian cultural center of Rossotrudnichestvo (Federal Agency on the CIS, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation) in China. Electronic resources of the Presidential library will become freely accessible to all the patrons of the newly opened Russian cultural center in Beijing.

The electronic reading room aimed to provide access to the resources of the Presidential library will be opened in accordance with the Protocol of Intentions signed between the Presidential library and the Federal Agency on the CIS, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo). The document stipulates cooperation in setting up library’s electronic reading rooms at Russian cultural centers of Rossotrodnichestvo worldwide.

The Boris Yeltsin Presidential library is the first national “born digital” library in Russia. It makes use of state-of-the-art technologies and offers access to information on the history and legislation of the Russian state. Some electronic resources are available at www.prlib.ru

The library has been named after the President of Russia, who adopted the Constitution, which stipulated the right of citizens to information. To provide equal opportunities to people countrywide the Presidential library intends to open its branches in all the regions of the Russian Federation.

The document opens up a new stage of development of the Presidential library: its holdings will become accessible to former citizens of Russia, compatriots living abroad, and foreign citizens.

On September 26 2010 the Presidential library signed the Protocol of Intentions with Federal Agency on the CIS, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo).