Cooperation between the National Library of Russia and French Partners: Past and Present

Abstract

The article is devoted to the cooperation between the National Library of Russia (NLR) and various institutions of France for more than 200 years. It shows how the NLR, acting as the National library, has been developing relations with French publishing houses, Universities, bookseller companies and has been acquiring literature and carrying out book exchange of documents published in France, particularly scientific ones, to satisfy the information needs of its users. The article considers the joint activities of the NLR and French partners on preserving rare valuable documents of French origin kept in the NLR collections and providing their accessibility. Among the most fruitful results of this cooperation are: publication of the collection of Voltaire’s marks on pages of the books from his library kept in the NLR, creation of the Center for the Study of Enlightenment in 2003 on the basis of the Voltaire’s Library that has been attracting researchers and scholars studying social ideas of the 18th century in general, and holding the “Voltaire Readings” and “Natives of France and their Russian descendants” conferences that gather solid international audience of participants from all over the world. The work of the National Library of Russia on preparation of facsimile editions of French manuscripts, participation in exhibition projects in France has been analyzed. The NLR reader contingent from France is characterized; it is shown that French readers have been actively working with the documents of the NLR rich collections. The author concludes that the NLR has unique overall experience in complex interaction with French partners, mutually reinforcing nature of separate cooperation directions; it is highlighted the importance of further development of this work, contributing to the successful implementation of the library’s mission functions.