Bibliography

ArcheoBiblioBase: Archives in Russia: G-4

Last update of repository: 15 February 2021

Vserossiiskaia gosudarstvennaia biblioteka inostrannoi literatury im. M.I. Rudomino (VGBIL)


Arkhiv
[Archive]

Opening hours: M–F 11:00–18:00

Archivist: Igor' Anatol'evich Bordachenkov (tel. +7 495 915-36-08)


Holdings

Total: ca. 15,000 units; 1921–present

Most of the material in the archive is composed of the administrative records of the library itself, which has been preserved since its foundation in 1921. The archives consist of several fonds divided into various sections according to library divisions. The “Director’s Office” (Direktsiia) holds documents starting with 1921. The divisional fond 6 entitled “Personnel Division” (Otdel kadrov) holds personnel files of the staff starting with the 1930s. Starting with 1954 there are records of the International Book Exchange and the Scientific Bibliographic Divisions. Fond 8 comprises the Photograph Archive (Fotoarkhiv) with photographs and negatives dating back to the 1920s. These include photographs of well-known persons in the cultural world of the Soviet Union and foreign countries who have visited the library. There are also photographic chronicles illustrating the work of the library and some photograph albums.
        The archive holds the collection of the famous religious philosopher N.M. Zernov, which was formed in thelibrary from materials bequeathed by his relatives. Of particular interest in this collection are the photograph albums that illustrate the life and work of N.M. Zernov and his family.

N.B. A large number of the files in the Archive were destroyed in 1979, including the files under conditions of permanent storage. A small number of documents (mainly relating to the first years of the library’s existence) are housed in GA RF (see B–1) as part of the records of the Main Administration for Vocational Training (Glavprofobr) of the RSFSR, while the VGBIL Archive holds copies.


Reference facilities:
There are inventory opisi, part of which have an auxiliary reference system. Part of the files have still not been properly arranged.

Copy facilities:
Xerox copies can be made and microfilming is possible.


ABB ArcheoBiblioBase Archeo Biblio Base Patricia Kennedy Grimsted