RT Cabinet Presidium considered Program of library services development in Republic of Tatarstan for period 2010-2014 and in perspective to 2020

About 153 million rbl. is needed to solve the problem of computerization of a library network of Republic Tatarstan and to provide access of libraries to the Internet in the shortest terms. RT Minister of culture Zilya Valeeva informed during the session of RT Cabinet Presidium.

The session was devoted to considering the Program of library services development in the Republic Tatarstan for period 2010-2014 and in the long term up to 2020.

As Prime Minister of Republic Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov noted, a close attention is given to the issues of library development. Today it is necessary that the network of libraries should function effectively, he said, and the developed program must help this.

Presenting the program to the members of RT Cabinet Presidium, Zilya Valeeva told that orientation to the information only on paper medium should be radically reconsidered, today, first of all, it is necessary to master and introduce information technologies in librarianship.

« Annually by 60% more information than previous year is being created in the world, - RT minister of culture said. - And those states and regions are on the winning side which enjoy a maximum of information resources and as much as possible use them ».

In opinion of Zilya Valeeva, library services today need reviving on a new modern ground.

Financial means are received from the federal budget on acquisition of library funds. So, in 2007, the amount of 8 million rbl. arrived for these purposes, in 2009, the Federal budget has already channeled about 12 million rbl for the republic. Allocation of grants and on years 2010 and 2011 is stipulated.
Besides, Zilya Valeeva informed that in 2009 allocation of 18 million rbl. from the federal budget on financing of municipal libraries also is stipulated.

Today in Tatarstan more than 3 thousand libraries is totaled. Out of them 1470 libraries in structure of the RT Ministry of education and science, 20 university libraries, 4 - in structure of RT Academy of sciences 47 - in charge of RT Ministry of Health (specialized), 13 - in system of trade unions (departmental), also 1576 municipal and 4 republican libraries, etc.

Tatarstan is on the second place among regions of Russia on development of library network (after Bashkortostan).

The number of the registered readers in republic makes 1,6 million person.
By quantity of readers we enter the first ten among regions of Russia and in the Volga federal district, Zilya Valeeva marked.

The greatest number of libraries (85 %) in the republic is located in countryside (one of high parameters of readership - Spassky and Alekseevsky municipal regions).

Thus of 99 % of library funds are made of printed matter. « We are late not only with digitizing of our funds, but with purchase of electronic books », - Zilya Valeeva stated.

Up to 60 % of books in libraries are out-of-date literature, which is a subject to write-off or updating (percent of funds updating today in Tatarstan - 3,3 %; in Russia - 3,7 %, whereas in the Great Britain - 9 %, other countries of the Europe - 5,7 %, in the USA - 20 %).

Today it is required about 153 million rbl. to solve a problem of computerization of library network in Republic of Tatarstan and to provide access of libraries to the Internet in the shortest terms, RT minister of culture Zilya Valeeva stated. In her opinion, it will allow to increase percentage of computer literacy of the population.

General director of State Unitary Enterprise « Center of information technologies » under RT Cabinet Nikolai Nikiforov, speaking at the session of RT Cabinet Presidium declared that under optimistic forecasts by 2015 up to 75 % of households in Russia would have a computer and Internet connection. As he said, it would increase demand for electronic books and access to library funds in the Internet.

Besides, Nikolai Nikiforov informed that all the central regional libraries would have be connected by autumn of 2009 to the Internet via optical fiber ( JSC " Tattelekom ").

Prime Minister of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov suggested holding analysis of a library fund for the further definition of ways of modernizing library network. To equip libraries (especially in villages) with computers and Internet connection is quite necessary, Rustam Minnikhanov said. By his words, the part of libraries will be already have equipped in 2009, modernization will proceed next years. All equipage with computers and other IT -technics will be conducted through the RT Center of information technologies.

Prime Minister suggested to examine also the opportunity of using library funds of republic’s universities during modernization of a library network (an opportunity of providing access to them through the Internet). Besides as he said, it is necessary to involve comprehensive schools, especially in villages - here the greatest concentration of youth as potential readers and users all accessible educational library resources.

Within the limits of program’s implementation the issue of preparation and training of library staff - for using all possibilities of modern IT-technologies in library services will be considered as well.