Significant transformations in the technologies of e-catalog building in the area of local history are discussed. The author examines the main changes. She focuses on the local lore and history e-catalogs of the RF libraries and their specific features. The document support of the catalog development is presented. Based on the element structure of the technological process (goal, objects, subjects, resources, processes, instruments, methods, regulation documents, and results), the transformations in the technology are revealed. The author concludes that these changes are due to the expanding objects covered by the catalogs (including the networked); complicating regulations for the objects (mandatory competences for machine-readable cataloguing); radical changes to the advantage of digital information resources; need for continuing upgrade of hardand software; exacerbating problems of linguistic support of machine-readable cataloguing; new regulations, etc. The author also points to significantly complicating technologies. The author suggests that the solution may lie in labor consumption and efficiency calculations for the processes of the e-catalog elements design and use.

The author analyzes and criticizes Vadim Stepanov's radical technocratic ideas of transforming libraries into basically different institutions. In particular, Vadim Stepanov promotes these ideas in his recent publications in the “Scientific and Technical Libraries” journal. The author proves that such views are not the news having been promoted a century ago and repeated many times. However, the attempts to implement them have demonstrated their bankruptcy. The author also considers the ideas of taming the document flow: it has been stabilized in the 20:80 ratio to the advantage of non-digital books. 99% users come to the library for printed (paper) books as they cannot afford buying them due to continuously increasing prices and imperfect book selling system. It means that the libraries shall not renounce of their documentive function. The libraries recognize the significance of their communicative function, and V. Stepanov’s appeals look beside the point. Thus, the appeal to transform libraries into basically different institutions shall be deemed counterproductive.

Specific features of the communication space in the library and information sphere are discussed. The communication process players and factors are named. The communication space scheme for the library and information sphere is proposed. The scheme comprises: library and information staff, target audience (users), partners, and regulatory authorities. The formal and informal communication channels are characterized and compared with their advantages and drawbacks named. Several procedures for choosing communication channels relevant to target audience are proposed to increase effectiveness of the communication process and validity of communicant-recipient information transfer. Optimum communication channel selection stages and factors are characterized. Communication barriers due to wrong communication channel and their negative consequences for the communication process are described. Knowledge of the communication space in the library and information sphere and communication channel selection algorithm enables to exclude the communication barriers.

Innovative technologies for providing the scope of library information services are discussed. Users satisfaction with the products/services quality within the services strategy of Orel State University Scientific Library was monitored. The study goals were to investigate into the new format of staff operation, to refine criteria and evaluation indicators, and to specify services and practices.

The quality features were measured and compared to the ideal model of library and information services. It is found that the service dominant idea is consonant with the staff’s and users’ orientation toward open, secure, friendly working environment. The author remarks to the staff's business activity, increasing the Library’s rates in the external environment. She proves that the service technologies make the efficient instrument of the humanistic mission rather than obtaining of the maximum extrabudgetary funding.

The author proposes several key management solutions, i.e. stimulation of staff’s culture; development of corporate professional cooperation in information exchange; generation of inhouse intellectual content; intensification of user awareness forms; methodological support; monitoring; promotion of the existing resources and dissemination of information products.

The obtained empirical data make the foundation for increasing effectiveness of services.

Education of the scientific worldview within the context of national and international regulatory documents is discussed. Based on the study of theoretical concepts and practical experience, the author argues that public libraries contribute to educating and developing scientific worldview in the young people. The need for organizational instruments to build science literacy essential due to conceptual, political, economical, educational transformations in the social life, is substantiated. The author suggests to introduce modern formats, e. g. lectures, master classes, visual presentations, conferences and workshops in technics, the natural and engineering sciences. The libraries, museums, academic and educational institutions have to partner to excite young population's interest toward scientific knowledge to make them taking informed decision when choosing a profession.

The difficulties in translating the attributive group of nouns, known as "nouns chain", – the chain of nouns, in the titles of documents on the material of English-language editions of scientific and technical literature entering the electronic catalog of BEN RAS are discussed. For the first time, the peculiarities of translation of titles are considered under the condition that unions and prepositions are included in the constituent title of the attribute group, as a result of which the "rule of a number" does not work. This situation suggests the emergence of structural and lexical units of a new type, which the authors distinguish as attribute groups with branching nouns. In the practical work of the cataloger it is recommended to use an approach to avoid possible confusion in the translation of these structural and lexical units. In the process of translation it is recommended: to carry out grammatical analysis of the English title, to select the attribute group and to structure it in the proposed template in order to establish logical and semantic links between individual words. A visual representation of the links allows the cataloging translator to see and evaluate the information order of words within the framework of the discussed phenomenon. The recommended analysis makes it possible to identify phrases that meet the known terminological constructions, adequate translation of which contributes to the choice of the correct index of systematization.

The current regulation of higher education in library and information sciences reflects the prospective trends and orientation toward practical demands of the industry. The author examines the main concepts of the higher professional education reform under the way, i. e. multilevel structure and consistency, competence approach, connection with practical activities, integrated control and evaluation of obtained knowledge. Regulation novations of the updated federal national education standards of higher education in specializations 51.03.06 “Library and information activities”, BA, and 51.04.06 “Library and information activities”, MA, are discussed.

The author also examines the methodological approaches toward modeling of the professional competences to be developed within BA and MA programs; the complex of mandatory and recommended professional competences to be developed within BA and MA programs.

Based on the comprehensive analysis, the conclusion is made that the higher library and information education, like the Russian education system on the whole, has been going through the transformations; while library professional training corresponds with the general requirements of theBolognaprocess.

The article analyzes the IFLA Statement on Network Neutrality and Zero-rating adopted on August 15, 2016 at the meeting of the World Library and Information Congress of the 82nd IFLA Conference inColumbus,USA, its importance for the international library community, as well as the socio-economic and cultural context, which was due to its adoption. Speaking in defense of network neutrality and against the practice of the zero-rating, IFLA designated a zone of latent for that period conflict of commercial interests of Internet providers and rules of equal access of the user to all types of content without speed and additional fee. Conflict this year later, in 2017, became public in the period of active struggle against the abolition of the principle of network neutrality in theUnited States.

The market rate of traffic, the green light of which was opened as a result of the cancellation of network neutrality in theUnited Stateson December 14, 2017 by the Federal Communications Commission, is particularly sensitive for libraries with limited funding, unable to pay for high-speed Internet. In addition to paid access to broadband Internet, the obvious danger for libraries is the practice of zero rating, providing free and unlimited traffic in the framework of popular social networks or package tariff plans from large corporations, which leads to the monopolization of the information market by the largest IT corporations and the further marginalization of libraries.

The displacement of cultural and educational institutions as a non-profitable sector on the roadside negatively affects libraries as providers of access and as creators of Internet content; strikes both on the acquisition of funds, and on the maintenance of readers of high-quality noncommercial information. As natural opponents of progressing monetization, the Library's networks favor the interpretation of the Internet as a public service, a publicly available public resource with a transparent and stable tariff, legislatively protected from attempts by providers to receive super-profits.

Professor Arkady Sokolov, Ph. D. (Pedagogy) is a prominent scholar. The author highlights themes and publications unique for Sokolov: the future for libraries, library science and bibliography, humanism, intelligencia and library intellectuals, social informatics, social communications, philosophy of information. In his works, prof. Sokolov gives his special attention to the library profession, librarians, library education, the libraries on the whole. “Retrospektiva…” digest are A. Sokolov’s special project.

The author also reflects on Sokolov’s innovative academic social initiatives: in 1967-1984 he headed the first in the nation informatics chair In Leningrad State Institute of Culture; founded St. Peterburg library society, the first one inRussia. The Professor’s giant flock numbers 44 scientists.

Sokolov’s biographical information is given; the journals where he is an editorial board member are named; disciplines in which he delivers lectures; his titles are named. Arkady Sokolov’s outstanding personality is also depicted.

In conclusion, the main bibliography (56 titles) is given.

The Twenty Second International Conference «LIBCOM–2018» – «Information technologies, computer systems and publications for libraries» (November 26-30, 2018, Suzdal) is reviewed. The main conference activities and events are discussed, e.g. the opening ceremony and plenary meeting, «Scientometrics, bibliometrics, open data and publications in science» conference, Central Discussion Site, Open Session, the round table “The libraries and corporations: Cooperation in the age of digital transformations”, meeting of the board and members of the National Library Association Libraries of the Future. The conclusions are made.