National libraries will help to preserve academic documents

National libraries can assist academic institutions in preserving, restoring and digitizing funds.

This, in connection with the three-year anniversary of the fire at the Institute of Scientific Information (INION) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (occurred January 31, 2015) was announced by the leaders of national libraries of Russia.

Let us remind that because of the fire it was burned about 5 million copies of publications. Many of them did not have digital copies."Some of the editions were restored to INION, something was mothballed. Probably there is not enough possibilities for converting documents and publications into electronic format. Everyone understands that the "figure" is a new and promising way of preserving documents, as well as broad access to them", - said Alexander Vershinin, Director General of the Presidential Library. - But it requires a lot of additional resources and efforts. Academic scientific institutions have many tasks, and a large farm is being reformed. Digitization requires high-tech equipment and its constant modernization. It is not only limited to scanning: the document needs to be converted, included in electronic catalogs, information systems. We do this together with library, educational, scientific, archival and museum institutions".

The Director-General of the National Library of Russia, Alexander Visly, emphasized that the problem could also be solved by the entry of libraries and institutions of the Russian Academy of Sciences that have library funds into the National Electronic Library project. "This is a real chance not only to save funds, but also to multiply attendance, that can contribute to the reforms of the RAS", - he noted.

The largest number of academic institutions, as well as the headquarters of the Russian Academy of Sciences, are located in Moscow. Therefore, the Russian State Library as a major federal center for the development of the industry is also ready for cooperation. This was said by acting Director General of the RSL Vladimir Gnezdilov.

One of the options may be mobile digitization - since last year this project has been implemented jointly by the Presidential Library and the Library of the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg. Cooperation in this area was discussed at the Council of Cooperation of National Libraries of Russia, held in St. Petersburg. Heads of institutions confirmed readiness to act jointly in this direction.