When we think of great works of literature, it’s only
natural that among the authors first and foremost in our minds are Russian
heroes Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. Given the substantial nature of their works, as
well as that of many other prominent Russian writers, it is only fitting that
their books find a suitable home in the appropriately lavish Russian State
Library.
Known by many as the Leninka, the Library holds over 43
million items, written and preserved in 247 languages. It is the second largest
library in the world, following only the Library of Congress here in the U.S.
It was founded in 1862 and has taken over 140 years to become the pinnacle of
literary success that it is today, holding a prestigious collection of maps,
documents, etc. that enthusiasts would consider gems in the field.
Approximately 4000 visitors pass through the Library every
single day (except Sunday, when the Library is closed), 200 of them taking
their very first steps on the grand floors. Anyone over the age of eighteen is
welcome into their designated reading rooms, and anyone may browse their stock
online.
The Russian State Library is truly a link between times, utilizing
both old-fashioned card-indexes and state-of-the-art technology to bring their
books to the people. They have recently adopted a plan to take their outreach
to a global scale, “emerging into the future” on the public, academic, digital
and international scales.
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