Information technology and libraries: All Moscow area libraries to be connected to Internet

All municipal public libraries of the Moscow region will be connected to the Internet until the end of 2012.

According to the Deputy Regional Minister of Culture, Lyudmila Vashurina, "982 municipal libraries, which until now had no access to the network, will be at last connected to the Internet."

In addition, 84 regional and municipal libraries will be provided with the software to manage library stock.

Network will be available not only to employees but also to visitors to libraries.

The Deputy Minister noted that the holdings of municipal and state libraries of the region comprises 24 million volumes, including more than 30, 000 rare books. "10% of rare books have been digitized - now visitors of all municipal libraries will have access to them via the Internet," she said.