Overview

The history of the National Library of Russia begins with its foundation on 27 May 1795 and spans over two centuries. The history of the country during these two centuries covers many periods: eras of Catherine the Great, Alexander I, Nicholas I, the major reforms which took place in the 1850s, the February Revolution of 1917 and the October Revolution, the World War II. All events and the changed conditions of Russian life inevitably affected life in the Library. The National Library of Russia in Saint Petersburg is among the greatest treasures in the country's cultural and historical heritage. One of the world's largest libraries, it posseses the most complete collection of publications in Russian. Special attention is traditionally paid to the acquisition of foreign works about Russia and publications in languages of the Russian Federation printed in different countries of the world. The Library also builds as comprehensively as possible the multi-language collection of literature on key branches of science and technology. Today the National Library of Russia houses more then 37 million items.

Source: Library website