Information resources of the network of agrarian libraries as a composition of the domestic information space: formation, use, access

Abstract

The article analyzes the activities of the network of agricultural libraries. The main statistical indicators are given, namely: library stock, its structure; the number of serviced users, issued documents, receipts of publications for the year, held informational mass events; volume and content of the electronic catalog; electronic resources; information and bibliographic activity (preparation and publication of retrospective, industry, bio- and bibliographic indexes, bibliographic lists of literature), research and publishing activities, material and technical base, human resources. It was noted that agricultural libraries in 2020 satisfied the requests of 420 000 users. Readers were served by 509 specialists. The volume of the electronic catalog amounted to more than 3 million bibliographic records, the number of calls to the EC exceeded 2 500 000. Organized virtual exhibitions amounted to 1 064, literature views were 4 699, scientific works were prepared and published, mainly abstracts. Agrarian library specialists had 954 computers at their disposal. It was found that specialists with higher education prevailed in the structure of the library staff. The problems faced by libraries in their activities are characterized and suggestions for improving their work are provided, in particular: conduct more active research work by library specialists, periodically study user requests using online surveys and directly in libraries, study the experience of the country's leading libraries and abroad, transferring the main fund of printed publications to open access, using the possibilities of the Internet, including social networks, to maintain the library page and popularize their activities.