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ArcheoBiblioBase: Archives in Russia: G-1

Last update of repository: 15 February 2021

Rossiiskaia gosudarstvennaia biblioteka (RGB)


Nauchno-issledovatel'skii otdel redkikh knig (Muzei knigi)
[Scientific Research Division of Rare Books (Museum of the Book)]

Address: ul. Vozdvizhenka, 3/5, korp. G, entrance 3, 1—“4 floor

Telephone: +7 495 695-67-95, +7 495 622-86-66

Reading room: +7 499 557-04-70, add 26-79

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: https://www.rsl.ru/ru/about/funds/rare;  https://www.rsl.ru/ru/events/halls/mu...  (Museum of the Book)

Opening hours: RdngRm: M–Sa 9:00–20:00 (25 March–27 July 2019 closed)

Head: Irina Petrovna Tikunova (tel. +7 495 697-67-95, +7 495 622-86-66)

Deputy Head: Lidiia Nikolaevna Petrova (tel. +7 495 622-86-66)


Holdings

Total: over 300,000 units; 15th c.–to present
autographs—ca. 8,000 units

The Division of Rare Books has a number of materials that should be considered of archival importance. Most particularly there are books with dedicatory autographs, inscriptions and marginal notations made not only by prominent public figures, scientists, scholars and writers, but also by unknown persons. Many of these entries have historical importance in relation to the history of the book—for example, an entry recording the date of acquisition and price paid for a particular book. There are also copies of special numbered editions and publications that have been specially inscribed, presented, or hand-painted by artists.


Working conditions:
There is a special division reading room. Rare editions that are held under special conditions of storage may only be examined with the permission of the division head, but copies can be viewed on microfilm (website of reading room: https://www.rsl.ru/ru/4readers/rooms/mk).

Reference facilities:
The division holdings are included in the general and subject RGB catalogues with the special notation “MK” (Muzei knigi). There are also separate catalogues in the division itself—”alphabetical catalogues of Russian/Soviet and foreign publications and a thematic card catalogue of books with dedicatory autographs. There is also an electronic catalogue of autographed books.
        Databases:
        “Obshcherossiiskii svod knizhnykh pamiatnikov. Reestry ‘Edinichnye knizhnye pamiatniki’” (“All-Russian collection of book memorials. Registers ‘Single book memorials’”);
        “Svodnyi katalog izdanii XVI v. na zapadnoevropeiskikh iazykakh” (“Composite catalogue of publications of 16th century in West Europian languages”);
        “Svodnyi katalog tsel'nogravirovannykh knig (iz sobranii RGB, RNB)” “Composite catalogue of whole engraving books (from collections of RGB. RNB)”;
        “Peremeshchennye kul'turnye tsennosti v fondakh RGB” (“Displaced cultural valuables of fonds of RGB”).

Copy facilities:
Bona fide researchers may order copies of documents, but xerox copies and microfilms are not permitted from particularly valuable publications (such as those with miniatures and ornamentation or folio editions). Photographic and videotape reproductions in the reading room may be produced only with the permission of the division head on the basis of an official letter from the reader’s sponsoring institution stating the purpose and intended use of the copies to be made.


ABB ArcheoBiblioBase Archeo Biblio Base Patricia Kennedy Grimsted