The Russian State Library at the 32nd Moscow International Book Fair: New Event-Image — New Format of Participation

Abstract

The 32nd Moscow International Book Fair (MIBF) was held on 4—8 September 2019. The purpose of this article is to rethink the role of the Russian State Library (RSL) in the MIBF event and communication space: on the one hand, as one of the subjects of bookwork and preserver of cultural values, and on the other hand — as the largest library publisher. The concept of the RSL stand as the exhibitor at the exhibition-fair was developed and built on the basis of this binary mode of the Library, with emphasis on those elements that reflect the chain of transition from the early printed book to the modern printed book, and from it — to the new digital formats. The RSL stand contained the dedicated areas of the “Pashkov Dom” Publishing house and the Scientific research Department of rare books (Book Museum), the Module of preservation and restoration of collections, the Advisory-expository legal module providing communications with publishers and authors on the issues of the National Electronic Library (NEL) and legal deposit copy of the printed publications in electronic form. The content program of stand work was correspondingly diverse and rich. It presented new products of the “Pashkov Dom” Publishing house, new projects prepared for publication independently and in cooperation with partners. The article considers the main theses of the authors, compilers and publishers, who made presentations at the RSL stand, as well as the topics of public lectures in open areas. The author reveals the new perspectives of NEL as one of the leading projects of the RSL, which combines different models of relationship between publishers, authors and libraries. The article highlights the results of the library competition of the Russian Library Association (RLA) “Best Professional Book of the Year”. The new format of participation of the RSL in exhibitions, fairs and similar events has been set. This format, in turn, forms a new event-image of the RSL, which positions the Library not only as an Institute of memory, which preserves the greatest cultural heritage — books, as a centre of intellectual development and professional interaction, but also as an active participant in the book publishing process.