The Current State and Problems of the Electronic Libraries Formation in the Context of the Implementation of the Tasks of the State Regional Cultural Policy

The relevance of the topic discussed in the paper is due to the tasks set within the framework of the state cultural policy for libraries to transfer funds to digital format. The activities of regional libraries in this area are conducted according to two scenarios. The first one is the transfer of digital copies of rare and valuable publications that are missing in the collections of other institutions to electronic libraries at the federal level and above all to the National Electronic Library of the Russian Federation (NEL). As part of the second one, regional libraries form their own electronic collections and display either the full texts or information on possibilities of accessing them on official websites. The problem is there are different approaches to understanding the importance of this activity area. The purpose of the paper is to identify differences and evaluate the interim results of the work of regional libraries in the field of creating their own electronic resources and the conditions for providing them to their readers. The article collects and presents the table of statistical data on the number of digital copies of publications transferred to the NEL and on independently created electronic resources in regional libraries of the South of Russia. A comparative analysis of different libraries activity in this area is carried out. Newly formed electronic libraries differ in structure, volume of digitized publications, subject matter, and reference equipment. The results of the research can significantly complement the theoretical sections of the currently emerging electronic library science, and provide practical assistance to library institutions in solving the issues of unification of electronic libraries, achieving a balance of their quantitative, substantive and type-specific content. It is important for the successful solution of the tasks within the framework of the state regional cultural policy.

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