A Multifaceted Scientist: a Bio-bibliographic Portrait of A.Yu. Samarin

Abstract

The review of the eleventh issue of the series “Russian Historians of Science and Technology”, published since 2005 under the auspices of the S.I. Vavilov Institute for the History of Natural Science and Technology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IHNST RAS), is presented. It is called “Samarin Alexander Yuryevich: materials for bio-bibliography” (Moscow, 2023) and is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of A.Yu. Samarin, the famous historian of books and book business, bibliographer and librarian, historian of science, organizer of research, Deputy Director General for Scientific Publishing of the Russian State Library, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation. He has also been successfully cooperating with the IHNST RAS for a long time, being concurrently the chief researcher of the Department of Historiography and Source Studies of the History of Science and Technology. The review reveals the main content of this collection, which in a multidimensional and multifaceted way shows the role and place of A.Yu. Samarin in organizational, scientific and educational activities for the benefit of the Russian book culture, as well as introduces readers to little-known details of his life path. Special attention is paid to the diverse author and editorial activities of A.Yu. Samarin (including as editor-in-chief of the Bibliography magazine, which, after the inclusion of the Russian Book Chamber in ITAR-TASS, was published as an independent publication in 2015—2020). It is concluded that the publication of the index is an important milestone in the development of book, library and bibliographic knowledge about the history, current state and prospects of Russian book culture.