The article deals with modern problems of integration of digital resources of libraries, archives and museums. The author identifies and describes changes in the goal-setting system of activities within the framework of joint projects, caused by the digitalization of the internal activities of cultural institutions. The vector of change in the goals is directed from general goals to more practical ones, which include: the formation of an integrated research environment of a humanitarian profile; the development of digital collections as a new information product of libraries; the usage of integrated resources as a means of training and educating various groups of patrons; the creation of a joint virtual platform of historical memory institutions for professional communication and project implementation. Creating a new information product — digital collections — will require significant efforts, primarily a scientific and methodological study of the issues of their organization, taking into account the specifics of information products and their future place in the information consumption market. The creation of such products can be carried out not only by the efforts of the keepers of cultural and historical heritage, but also with the involvement of organizations engaged in artificial intelligence and semantic networks. Among the trends, there is a consistent leveling of the degree of digitalisation of libraries, archives and museums, their self-sufficiency and the desire to develop along their own information trajectories. The article provides examples of the most successful projects in the field of creating digital resources of historical memory institutions. There are identified the basic problems: departmental disunity, the lack of a publicly accessible reliable software and technology environment for interaction, as well as the lack of a system of scientific and methodical procedures and information support for resource integration activities. It is necessary to organize interdisciplinary vocational training centers for personnel to work in an integrated environment.

Priority areas and challendges in Digital Transformation (DT) of libraries are formulated. It briefly discusses the coordination of DT of libraries on an interagency basis and the development of quality standards for library services, ensuring constitutional guarantees and equal opportunities for citizens’ participation in cultural life, accessibility of cultural goods and services regardless of income level, social status and place of residence. The creation of a system of information and library services not limited by physical barriers, the transformation of municipal libraries into multifunctional intellectual cultural and leisure centres “within walking distance”, and into points of free access to network information resources has been analysed. It is necessary to eliminate the uneven development of libraries in different regions, to develop the professional and intellectual potential of Russian libraries. Modernisation of the approach to the acquisition of library collections, active replication of best practices in the digitalisation of individual library services and the introduction of methods of data mining are also a priority. The system of scientific support for DT processes in libraries should be developed. If the DT of libraries is consistent and effective, a new model of library organization will emerge in the country, involving the DT of this sector as a strategic resource for the new economy and for ensuring the innovative development of Russia. The process of implementing the DT programme for libraries will require the mobilization of all participants in library activities and the growth of social and economic efficiency of librarianship, as envisaged in the currently existing forecast documents.

This article charts the career of Alexander Yuryevich Samarin, Deputy Director General for Scientific and Publishing Activities at the Russian State Library (RSL), Doctor of Historical Sciences, and the Honoured Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation. It details his professional journey, starting from his studies at the V.I. Lenin Moscow State Pedagogical University (1990—1995), and concludes with his current position. A.Yu. Samarin has authored more than 560 scientific papers and has received over ten state and public awards. As a scientist, A.Yu. Samarin is recognized for his meticulous study of sources related to his research topics, and for his deep interest in the individuals who have made significant contributions to history. His most prominent administrative achievements include streamlining the operations of the RSL Research Department of Rare Books (Book Museum); his advocacy for establishing a legal framework for book monuments; his efforts to restore library science, bibliography, and book science as part of the Nomenclature of scientific specialties; holding the International Scientific Conference “Library Science in the 21st Century: Content, Organisation, Digitalisation, and Scientometrics” (2021). Finally, the article highlights the release of two editions of a joint monograph titled “Scientific Research in Libraries: Topics, Organisation, and Presentation of Results” in 2021 and 2023.

The article is devoted to the study of the publications of biographical direction of the “Bibliotekovedenie” — Russian Journal of Library Science in 1952—2021. The most attention is paid to the analysis of the materials published in the 20th century. It reconstructs the history of the development of biographical materials on the pages of the periodical edition, defines the stages and characteristic features of each of them, presents the forms of biographical publications, reveals the circle of persons engaged in studying biographies of outstanding librarians, as well as the persons who became the objects of the authors’ and editors’ attention. The scientific discipline of humanitarian cycle, biography, is discussed. The authors cite the opinions of scholars (Yu.N. Stolyarov, V.S. Kreydenko, A.N. Vaneev, I.L. Belenkiy, G.G. Silnitskii, etc.) which emphasizes the necessity and significance of studying history through biographical studies. In the 21st century the library and book community has entered with a very developed direction of historical research on biography. While before 1970 there were sporadic publications on people of the library profession, by the end of the 20th century the number of biographical materials had increased significantly. Books and monographs dedicated to librarians appeared, name conferences began to be organized, autobiographical genre began to form, memoirs “in the first person” were published. Various factual and biographical materials have been collected in the journal.

During the 15-year period of publication of the collection (bulletin) “Libraries of the USSR. Work Experience” (1952—1966) it published four articles of biographical genre: on the bibliographer A.P. Sokolov; on V.I. Lenin’s elder brother A.I. Ulyanov; the writer V.G. Korolenko and his library; the librarian A.A. Pokrovsky. During the six years (1967—1972), when the collection was published under the title “Libraries of the USSR”, nine articles dedicated to individual outstanding people were published in it. In 1973 the collection was transformed into the scientific and practical journal “Soviet Bibliotekovedenie” (Soviet Library Science). During the twenty years between 1973 and 1992, 128 biographical materials were published, and 96 persons were the subject of attention. Since 1993 the journal has been published under the title “Bibliotekovedenie” (Russian Journal of Library Science). From 1993 to 2000, 59 biographical materials were published in it. Articles of autobiographical genre appeared. For the first time, the interview genre was used. Between 2001 and 2021, 298 biographical materials were published in the journal, and more than 200 persons received attention. Of these, material on 165 persons appeared for the first time.

Between 1952 and 2021, a total of over 280 authors published articles of biographical genre. The librarians about whom the greatest number of materials has been published: O.S. Chubarian, N.I. Tyulina, Yu.V. Grigoriev, N.S. Kartashov, K.I. Abramov, A.A. Pokrovsky, M.Ya. Dvorkina, N.A. Rubakin, Yu.N. Stolyarov, L.B. Khavkina, etc.

The materials presented in the journal may serve as a basis for further research. The article may be useful for library professionals to intensify research activities in the field of library history through the study of biographies of prominent people.

This study aims to recreate the existence picture of the personal library of Grand Duke Nikolai Konstantinovich Romanov (1850—1918) in the Turkestan region, using the only known source — “The Catalog of Books Donated to the Turkestan Public Library by His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Nikolai Konstantinovich”. “The Catalog...” was published in 1906 in Tashkent. It includes 1289 entries (books, documents and periodicals) in nine European languages. The reconstruction of the content of N.K. Romanov’s personal library with the help of “The Catalog...” allows to shed some light on the owner’s personal traits and helps to introduce new sources about the repertoire of Russian grand ducal libraries into scientific circulation. Historical and bibliological analysis, as well as “De Visu” study of library and archival collections, allows to consider little-studied issues related to the personal library of Grand Duke N.K. Romanov. The article identifies rare books and reveals the features of each copy. The bookplate found on some publications (“KN” monogram) belonged to Grand Duke Konstantin, Nikolai Konstantinovich’s father. N.K. Romanov’s personal library was universal: it contains publications on philosophy, history, geography, law, pedagogy, economics, mathematics, natural sciences, agriculture, technology, medicine, naval sciences, art history, as well as fiction, educational and reference literature. Chronologically, the collection includes publications of the 16th—19th centuries. It held unique materials on the study of the Turkestan region by Russian and foreign researchers. A bibliographic search made it possible to identify the vast majority of the lost books. However, there is not enough information about how each publication was collected. Further research work shall result in publication of an updated catalog of N.K. Romanov’s personal library stored in the Alisher Navoi National Library of Uzbekistan.

The article tells about the Far Eastern librarian Nadezhda Abramovna Kanover, a follower of the bibliographer Z.N. Matveev, who played a great role in the development of librarianship in Vladivostok. The publication is based on the documents from the Current Archive of the Presidium of the Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Science (FEB RAS), Central Scientific Library (CSL) of FEB RAS and Society for Study of Amur Region (SSAR) that for the first time reveal unknown facts from N.A. Kanover life and characterize the situation in library science in the Russian Far East in 1930s — 1950s. Heading several libraries including the future CSL FEB RAS and library of Primorskiy branch of State Geographical Society (SFGS), N.A. Kanover put much efforts in collecting collections and making conditions for book storage, as well as promoted book culture by publishing articles and organizing book exhibitions. Thanks to her, Vladivostok received a unique old-believers’ collection that belonged to bibliophile S.Ya. Ponosov. Printed editions of the collection are now kept in the SSAR library (former SFGS library), icons and religious artefacts are in the Primorsky Picture Gallery and the V.K. Arsenyev Museum of Far East History. These organisations presented a part of Ponosov’s collection at the joint exhibition “Legend of Belovodie” (Vladivostok, February 18 — July 30, 2023). The pages of Kanover’s biography connected with the last months of life of V.K. Arsenyev, the famous traveller and explorer of the Far East, are remarkable. While working in the library of SFGS, N.A. Kanover became its last secretary, dealing with the correspondent network of the branch. Unfortunately, almost nothing is known about the last years of her life, but N.A. Kanover’s work in the field of Far Eastern library science is not forgotten.

The analysis is presented of T.A. Petrova’s book “The Main Library of the Republic: the Time of Formation. 1918—1936” (2022). The book is a study of the almost unexplored period of the history of the National Library named after S.G. Chavain of the Mari El Republic. 1918—1936 is the period of radical changes in society and approval of new principles of library organization. On the wide material of documentary sources from state, departmental and personal archives the basic marks of the library’s development are shown: the features of library work organization, formation of book stock, methods and forms of work with readers. The history of the library is illustrated with the facts and data about the people working there at that time.

The book is announced as a historical and archival research, well thought out and appropriate to the content structure, attracts with its logic, clarity and simplicity of narration. Each of three main parts is a separate historical, biographical and librarian sketch of different stages of library’s development, chronologically almost entirely coinciding with the tenure of M.A. Chernova, I.E. Pavlov, A.R. Kavush as heads of the library.

The detailed work by T.A. Petrova gives a full and complete picture of the development of the main library of the republic during the first years of Mari Autonomous Region existence. The book contains new and earlier unknown to science materials.

The resourcefulness of the library event is examined within the framework of libraries’ capacity to participate in science-society communication. The library event is most often studied by researchers in the context of leisure activities. The concept of “leisure” is multifaceted, it includes such elements as play, recreation, entertainment, self-education, self-development, daily life etc. Leisure activities can be associated, both for the organizers and the visitors, with different motives and goals. The professional press often highlights the stimulation of reading activity, but also the desire to disseminate knowledge in a non-trivial way, the self-presentation of the library, the demonstration of its openness to the public, etc. In this context, traditional and new formats of work for libraries, new trends (e. g. comprehensiveness, eventfulness of events, etc.) are discussed. It is obvious that library event is an actively developing phenomenon, which requires theoretical reflection. The purpose of this article is to analyze the communicative resource of library events on the example of popular science events in the libraries of the Novosibirsk Region. The library event is considered as a level of direct communication, and its purpose is to provide patrons with leisure and intellectual communication. The research is based on the information materials presented on the official websites of public libraries. As a result of the study the following conclusions are obtained: the nature of popular science events is mostly event-based, but only large libraries are involved in wide-scale complex activities. Both science communicators and librarians are involved in the preparation of the events, using different formats. All popular science events held in libraries are in line with the deficit model of communication between science and society.

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