The authors determine the specific features of the memoir literature as the historical source; there is given the brief overview of the development stages of the domestic memoir history. Scientific value and practical importance of creating the annotated bibliographic indices of the memoir literature is substantiated. The fundamental system of Russian annotated bibliographic indices of memoir literature (“The History of Soviet Society in Contemporaries’ Memoirs: 1917—1957”, “The History of Pre-revolutionary Russia in Diaries and Memoirs”, “Russia and Russian Emigration in Memoirs and Diaries”, “Soviet Society in Memoirs and Diaries”) is characterized. The analysis of authors, professional experience in creating the annotated bibliographic index of memoir literature “The History of Russia and USSR in Memoirs and Diaries” is given. The authors formulate the main principles, used in the process of memoir selection. The principles, such as the form of publication, the “purity of genre”, the authenticity, scientific credibility, the artistic and historical value, are discussed.