The Annual International Research and Practical Conference “Rumyantsev Readings” was held at the Russian State Library (RSL) on April 22—24, 2025. The event was organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the RSL, the Library Assembly of Eurasia, and the Interstate Humanitarian Cooperation Fund of the CIS Member States. The diversity and relevance of the topics addressed at the conference attracted a large number of specialists from various regions of Russia and other countries. In 2025, representatives from nine countries participated: the Russian Federation, the Republic of Abkhazia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan. 301 people attended the event in person, and 1 685 connections were recorded during the webcast of the sessions.

The conference topics covered a wide range of topics in the theory and practice of library science, bibliography, and bibliology. Its main themes included the history of libraries and other scientific and cultural institutions, the lives and work of representatives of science and culture, the discovery of book depository collections, research into collections and individual copies of manuscript and printed works, and the multifaceted activities of modern libraries.

The conference’s key topics also included: Collectors, Curators, and Researchers: The History of Cultural Institutions in Persons; Manuscript and Printed Works in Library Collections: Creation, Existence, Storage, and Use; Not Just Words: Fine Art on the Pages of Publications; Standardization in Librarianship and Bibliographic Activities; Library Acquisition and Reader Services with Electronic Resources; and Young Library Professionals.

One of the main goals of the conference is to expand intercultural interaction and cooperation between cultural, educational, and scientific institutions. Particular attention in 2025 was given to the topics Libraries and the Preservation of Historical Memory. For the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and Pages of History: 100 Years Since the Renaming of the Rumyantsev Public Library to the “V.I. Lenin Public Library of the USSR” and Its Acquisition of the Status of a Library of All-Union Significance.

The event’s programme included, in addition to the plenary session, ten sections, a special session, and two roundtables (Standardization in Librarianship and Bibliographic Activities: Current Status and Development Challenges and Library Collections in the Digital Environment). A special session of CIS libraries dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, “Pages of the Feat of Nations”, was held for the first time as part of the Rumyantsev Readings. It discussed issues of preserving shared historical memory, uncovering and popularizing the rich archival materials from the war years in the collections of libraries in CIS member states, and presented library projects and digital resources.

The event presented the results of library and bibliological research, examining a wide range of topics in bibliographical studies, the development of Library and Bibliographic Classification, the study of printed and manuscript books, art publications, maps, sheet music, sound recordings, and more.

The RSL publishing house Pashkov Dom has prepared and released a two-part collection of conference proceedings, consisting 176 articles.

The Rumyantsev Readings have remained a sought-after scientific and practical event for decades among library professionals and representatives of other educational, scientific, and cultural institutions, contributing to the development of scientific research and the introduction of new practices.

The changes currently occurring in the life and activities of each person and society as a whole are primarily associated with the widespread use of digital technologies. In the modern information flow, the leading positions are occupied by the problems of artificial intelligence (AI). The specifics and consequences of the use of neural networks are analyzed not only in natural science, but also in social and humanitarian literature. For relevant classification of new documents, it is necessary to make appropriate changes and additions to the Medium tables of the Library and Bibliographic Classification (LBC). The purpose of the article is to determine the directions and algorithm for updating the LBC Medium tables in accordance with the trends in the development of modern knowledge. A retrospective analysis of the process of forming the LBC division “16 Computer science and information technology” and modernizing the main tables of the natural science cycle made it possible to summarize the unique experience of specialists of the Research Center for LBC Development of the Russian State Library (RC LBC RSL) in improving the national library classification. Based on the end-to-end analysis of the LBC Medium tables, current monitoring of publications on the use of digital technologies, as well as the ongoing consulting work of the staff of RC LBC RSL, an algorithm was formed for preparing proposals to modify the existing and successfully used in library practice holistic classification system.

In two subdivisions “16.3 Information systems and databases” and “16.6 Artificial intelligence”, the symbolic and neural network directions of AI research found their place. In 2024, the subdivision “16.333.3 Intelligent interface” appeared. For literature on virtual reality, the index “16.7 Virtual reality systems” is provided. The widespread use of digital technologies has exacerbated the problem of information security. In this regard, the index “16.8 Information security” was developed. The wording of the division, intended for a uniform reflection of literature on issues related to automation and computerization in any field of activity, has been changed. Now the general standard division (GSD) has the wording “Industry informatics. Information technology”. The wording of the division has been replaced by “Software”. A new GSD “Information systems and databases” has appeared. These changes have made it possible to systematize the literature on industry information technologies in full. In 2024, a new GSD “Artificial intelligence” was added.

The presented algorithm can be used in the process of working with any cycle, department and/or section of LBC. Suggestions for reworking some indexes of the GSD LBC table will help to systematize the literature on industry digital technologies in full.

Open access to scientific publications plays a vital role in the research process, facilitating knowledge sharing and accelerating scientific discovery. Repositories and digital libraries of scientific and educational institutions are effective tools for ensuring open access to research results. However, the content of these platforms is not always accessible to remote users.

To obtain information on the accessibility of repository and digital library content at Russian universities and research institutes, a study was conducted of the archives of 68 university websites participating in the Priority 2030 programme and 53 research institute websites. It was found that only a few platforms provide open access to all content. Many institutional repositories are completely closed to unregistered users. However, only students and staff members can register. For archives where access to some content is restricted, the ratio of open and gated access to materials is analyzed. The study found that in nine archives, the majority of full-text publications are accessible to remote users, while in 10 repositories, the majority of documents are inaccessible or accessible only to registered users.

It was determined that access to some materials in repositories and digital libraries is achieved through external links to platforms hosting the full text of publications. The problem of incorrect links was identified. It is concluded that despite the desire to ensure open access to all repository content, copyright issues and embargo periods often necessitate restricting access to the full text of a publication. At the same time, if much of the materials is closed to remote users, the repository’s effectiveness as a tool for ensuring open access is reduced.

Ego-documents (or documents of personal origin) are valuable sources that reveal new facets of historical realities and contribute to the creation of a more complete picture of current events. The growing interest from humanists in ego-documents, which captured the subjective and personal perception of reality, occurred at the end of the 20th century. At the same time, an analysis of the publishing practice of such materials during the Great Patriotic War showed that their value was recognized already at the time of their creation due to the strong mobilizing effect of these sources. The article examines the thematic and typological composition of historical evidence of a personal nature published in Siberia and the Far East in 1941—1945. It was revealed that during the Great Patriotic War, the following types of ego-documents were mainly published: memoirs, letters and diaries. Due to the dual nature of the texts, memoir-journalistic essays that combine documentary and artistic principles are conventionally classified in publications as memoirs. The conducted research showed that this type of ego-documents was the most published during the Great Patriotic War. The publications of letters were widespread in the war years, which came out in separate collections and documentary attachments to fiction and biographical essays. The documents of personal origin published in 1941—1945 are thematically divided into two groups: military and national economic. Ego-documents of the participants of the Great Patriotic War were aimed at forming emotional intolerance towards the enemy among the general population, and at transferring the experience accumulated in combat conditions. Ego-documents on national economic topics were focused on transmitting production knowledge and skills acquired in the process of labor in military conditions. The solution of this problem in 1941—1945 was of particular importance in Siberia, since the region became the most important technical and food base of the country.

The aim of this article is to reconstruct the subject composition of the personal library of Alexander Konstantinovich Geins (1834—1892) during his service in the Turkestan region, based on the inventories of the Central State Archives of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The study of the book collection of A.K. Geins allowed us to objectively evaluate the owner’s personal contribution to the development of science and the role of his book collection in the socio-cultural development of the region. Using the methods of historical and bibliographic analysis and a visual examination of library and archival collections, it was possible to consider little-studied issues related to the book collection of A.K. Geins, to determine its subject composition and design features. The personal library of A.K. Geins, purchased by order of K.P. von Kaufman in February 1870 for the Turkestan Public Library (now the National Library of Uzbekistan named after A. Navoi), consisted of books, brochures, periodicals, manuscripts, and collections of articles — a total of 306 titles (including four periodicals). One of the collection’s distinctive features was the predominance of foreign literature, both original and translated. This book collection is divided into 24 thematic sections. Its chronological coverage extends from the 18th to the 19th centuries. An inventory of the collection was compiled in 1870 by E. Savenkov. It contains the following information: author, title, date and place of publication (not always), as well as price information.

Overall, the A.K. Geins library was a striking classic example of a personal book collection, combining the fundamental functions that justified its existence — informational and educational. The selection of books was primarily driven by the personal interests of its owner, but was also influenced by the reading trends of the period. An analysis of the subject matter of the books and periodicals in A.K. Geins’ personal library allows us to judge the universal nature of this collection and its great scholarly potential for the study of the Turkestan region.

In the late 19th century and especially in the early 20th one, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) actively established temperance societies (TS), whose missions included education and spiritual and material support for people who had embarked on the fight against alcoholism.

Libraries played a key role in the work of TS. The purpose of this article is to analyze the organization and activities of TS libraries in the Moscow Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church at the turn of the 20th century. A review of the historiography on this topic revealed a lack of specialized works covering this subject.

This study identified organizational, resource, and human-factor-related challenges faced by TS libraries, their organizers, staff, and users. An analysis of methods for expanding library collections and readership was conducted, and the effectiveness of TS libraries was determined. Difficulties in acquiring library collections were one of the main problems faced by this category of libraries. Various approaches were used to address this challenge, enabling them to reach a wide range of readers who were not TS members, especially young people. Thus, TS libraries became cultural and educational centers.

This work is based on archival documents, periodicals, and reports on the activities of TS libraries from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The article utilizes statistical and source study methods, as well as comparative analysis.

The relevance of this work is linked to the recent rise of the temperance movement in Russia, with a growing demand for pastoral assistance in this area. There is a clear need to create and develop centers (libraries) where specialized literature on alcohol addiction and other types of addictions, consistent with Christian principles, can be obtained.

This review article analyzes the participation of the Russian State Library (RSL) publishing house Pashkov Dom in the most significant events of the Russian book community in 2025. Books published by Pashkov Dom are widely represented at major national and international book exhibitions and festivals, and they are constantly popular with readers and fairgoers. During the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland and the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, a publishing programme was successfully implemented aimed at preserving historical memory, presenting the library’s collections, publishing little-known wartime materials, documents, and memoirs of staff members of the State Library of the USSR named after V.I. Lenin (GBL, now the RSL), and more.

A large-scale publishing project, Pages of Victory: Leninka in 1941—1945: Chronicle. Documents. Memories, won the special category Best Library Publication Dedicated to the 80th Anniversary of Victory at the 13th All-Russian Competition “Best Professional Book of the Year — 2025”. The book was also recognized at the National Competition “Book of the Year — 2025”. The RSL publishing house Pashkov Dom was awarded a special diploma in the HUMANITAS category for preparing and publishing a chronicle of the GBL’s multifaceted activities during the Great Patriotic War.

The two-volume The Great Librarian: Lyubov Borisovna Khavkina received several awards in 2025. The book won the Best Publication in the Field of Humanities category at the Best Books of the Year competition organized by the ASKI Book Publishers Association; it also won To Help the Professional category at the 13th All-Russian Competition “Best Professional Book of the Year — 2025”. Awarded a first-place diploma in the Best Library-Prepared Publication category at the Interregional Festival-Competition “Book of the Year in the Homeland of P.I. Tchaikovsky”; awarded a first-place diploma in the Best Library-Prepared Publication category at the Interregional Competition of Publishing Houses, Publishing Organizations, and Printing Enterprises “Book of the Year” at the 11th Interregional Festival of National Books “Reading World”.

In the 2025, the album The Masterpieces of the Russian State Library received a special diploma in “Book Art. Best Gift Edition” category at the Best Books of the Year competition organized by the ASKI Book Publishers Association. At the Interregional Festival-Competition “Book of the Year in the Homeland of P.I. Tchaikovsky”, the album was awarded a second-place diploma in the Best Artistic and Graphic Design of a Publication category. The RSL publishing house Pashkov Dom was awarded a finalist diploma in the 21st All-Russian Competition of Regional and Local History Literature “Small Homeland” for the publication of Saur-Mogila: From Legend to Feat. This book also took the second place in the History of the Region category of the 13th All-Russian Competition “Best Professional Book of the Year — 2025”.

For the RSL, one of its most important tasks is to support the integration of libraries in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Lugansk People’s Republic, and the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions into the cultural space of the Russian Federation. The RSL publishing house Pashkov Dom closely collaborates with libraries in new regions of our country. In addition to Saur-Mogila: From Legend to Feat (a joint project with the Donetsk Republican Universal Scientific Library named after N.K. Krupskaya), examples of this collaboration include the book My 1418 Days of War by G.B. Decalo (in collaboration with the Kherson Regional Universal Scientific Library), “These Russian Boys...”: Literature of Fighting Lugansk (in collaboration with the Lugansk Republican Universal Scientific Library named after M. Gorky).

In 2025, the Ryazan Regional Universal Scientific Library named after M. Gorky awarded the Pashkov Dom a special diploma for its support of literary and historical projects and the formation of a unified cultural space in Russia.

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