Experience and Problems of Increasing the Efficiency of Scientific Activity of National Libraries

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to substantiate the further development and increase of the efficiency of scientific research and scientific-methodical activity as the main type of activity of the National Libraries (NL). There is presented the analysis of the legal basis of the research function of NL — legislation in the field of librarianship, science and scientific and technological policy. The author considers the reflection of this function in the Statutes of NL of different times and stages of development. The article reveals the modern forms of institutionalization of scientific activity and scientometric approach to assessing the efficiency of scientific institutions. The author records the necessity of comparative analysis of the legal substantiation of the forms of organization and content of scientific activity of the National libraries of different countries. The author analyses domestic and foreign sources on this problem, as well as determines the scope of missing information for more profound and comprehensive assessment of the current state of research activities of NL. To this end, the author examines the official websites of the libraries and reveals the following results. Most of NL are engaged in scientific research. Based on the analysis, the article substantiates the conclusion about the presence of general trends in their content, corresponding to the modern requirements of socio-economic and cultural development. The author presents the conclusion on the need to develop scientific activity of the National Library of Russia in accordance with the “Concept of Development of the National Library of Russia for 2018—2025”. The article analyses the normative and regulatory documents of domestic and foreign NL, as well as the experience of domestic and foreign researchers over the past 20 years, which proves the important place and role of scientific research in the activities of the modern NL. The conducted analysis will contribute to improving the efficiency of scientific activities of NL, strengthening of their role as a scientific and methodological centre for the Central libraries of the Russian Federation, as well as the role of regional libraries in the formation of the research space and the environment of professional scientific communications.