Bibliography

ArcheoBiblioBase: Archives in Russia: G-15

Last update of repository: 15 February 2021

Rossiiskaia natsional'naia biblioteka (RNB)


Tsentr izucheniia epokhi prosveshcheniia “Biblioteka Vol'tera” Otdela redkikh knig
[Center of Study of the Epoch of Enlightenment “Library of Voltaire” of the Division of Rare Books]

Address: 191069, St. Petersburg, ul. Sadovaia, 18

Telephone: +7 812 407-42-66

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://nlr.ru/voltaire;  http://gallica.bnf.fr/dossiers/html/d...  (Rus and Fr)

Opening hours: 1 July–31 August: MW 13:00–21:00; TuThF 9:00–17:00; 1 September–30 June: MWF 13:00–21:00; TuTh 9:00–21:00, SaSu 11:00–19:00

Head: Nataliia Mikhailovna Speranskaia (tel. +7 812 407-42-66)


Holdings

Total: ca. 57,000 units; 15th–20th cc.

Among its other extensive holdings, the Rare Books Sector retains approximately 7,000 volumes (16th–18th cc.) of the library of Voltaire that were presented to Catherine II in 1779. At least 2,000 of these have marginalia and other readers’ notes, and include 141 thematic archival selections and 20 volumes of related manuscript writings. Among them are 5 volumes of materials on the history of Russia in the Petrine epoch, drafts and copies of letters, and manuscript copies of illegal books, among other documents. The sector also has a collection of imprints from the period of the Paris Commune (newspapers, leaflets, and handbills). Regulations for work in reading room of the Division of Manuscripts available on the website: http://nlr.ru/nlr_visit/dep/artupload...

N.B. As part of the general fond of the Division of Fonds and Services (OFO), is a collection entitled “Free Russian Press,” consisting of illegal and censored publications from the early nineteenth century through 1916, and a collection of leaflets and handbills from the early years of Soviet rule, among other materials of interest.


Working conditions:
Readers are accommodated in the reading room of the Manuscript Division, since there is no separate reading room for the sector.

Reference facilities:
There are published catalogues of the Voltaire library (see g–644-g–647) and the publications from the period of the Paris Commune (g–648).

Library facilities:
The sector has its own reference collection, which is open to readers.

Copy facilities:
Photographic copies and microfilms can be prepared.


ABB ArcheoBiblioBase Archeo Biblio Base Patricia Kennedy Grimsted