Great Reduction in Quantity of Libraries: Particular Management Errors or a General Perspective for the Field (Analysis of the Experience of the Moscow Region)

The number of libraries around the world and in Russia continues to decline. The regularity of the situation is explained by the loss of real demand for traditional library services – the actual library attendance is rapidly declining. The founders, represented by local regional and municipal administrations, feeling the decline in the role of libraries, are gradually reducing their scale and number. The Moscow region became the Russian leader in 2021 in closing libraries: it liquidated 26 libraries. The closure was initiated by the local Ministry of culture. It was the first case in the country when the founder initiated the planned closure of a network of subordinate institutions. The analysis has shown that in the Moscow region, a clear strategy for the development of libraries was not developed. The main activities, directions, forms and criteria for evaluating work were not defined. Changes in the industry were not reflected in the regional legal documentation, decent funding for the library sector was not provided. Huge advantages of corporate work in the formation of consolidated information resources (primarily an electronic catalog and a digital local history collection) were not realized. The author concludes that the practice of the Moscow region administration serves as a stern warning to librarians for all other subjects of the Federation: the example of the Moscow Region will no doubt be taken up by the authorities of other regions in the country.

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