Historian, Archivist, Bibliographer: P.A. Zaionchkovskij and the Russian State Library

Abstract

At present, when the majority of users in search for information excessively turn to the Internet as a primary data source, the problem of reliability of the obtained data is particularly acute. Libraries, whose main function is to store and provide access to information existing both in print and electronic forms, traditionally tend to maintain the exceptional level of completeness and validity of the data and sources provided. One of the ways to achieve such reliability is interaction of libraries with scientists in the field of data systematization, verification, storage and access providing. The article analyses the scientific work of the outstanding Russian historian P.A. Zaionchkovskij in the V.I. Lenin State Library of the USSR (now — the Russian State Library, RSL) and considers his scientific cooperaction with the Library for several decades as a successful example of library-scientists’ partnership. In 1944—1952, he served as the Head of the Department of manuscripts of the V.I. Lenin State Library. Under his supervision, the accounting of the Department’s stock was reorganized, preservation of the existing and newly acquired collections was ensured; the user access of researches to the information on the collections’ content and composition was significantly improved; the unique team of scientific personnel was formed. The article gives thorough overview of the scientific and publication activity of the Department during that period. The authors also review the contribution of P.A. Zaionchkovskij to the development of the problem of bibliographic providing for historical science. In the 1960s — 1980s, under his scientific supervision, the bibliographic staff of the V.I. Lenin State Library of the USSR and other major Russian libraries prepared the unique publications — “Reference Books on the History of Pre-revolutionary Russia” and multivolume annotated Index “The History of Pre-revolutionary Russia in Diaries and Memoirs”. P.A. Zaionchkovskij laid the foundation for the lasting many years and still developing project on creation of retrospective scientific auxiliary indices of memoir literature. The partnership of P.A. Zaionchkovskij and the V.I. Lenin State Library is an excellent example of the successful and fruitful interaction of scientists and library staff.