The author reviews and analyzes theses in the disciplines 05.25.03 – Library science, bibliography and bibliology, and 05.25.05 – Information systems and processes, defended at Moscow State Institute of Culture, Dissertation Committee D 210.010.01 in support of candidature and doctorate for a degree in pedagogy and engineering. The dissertations by A. V. Trusov, E. V. Russkikh, O. O. Kondratenko, K. E. Sokolinsky, D. A. Bashirov, I. A. Vaganova and M. A. Kharintseva are discussed. The bibliographic data, information on supervisors, official opponents and organization, research findings, and issues discussed at a viva voce, are cited for each of the theses.

The process of the dissertation discussion by scientific community and the members of the dissertation committee is reviewed. The Dissertation Committee offered several practical applications for the solutions as suggested by the candidates. The prospects for further studies are revealed, prospective scientific problems are set up.

The publication activities of the applicants are analyzed; the open sites (conferences, professional forums) where theses findings are tested are defined. The journals interested in the publications of new masters and doctors are named.

The authors discuss the main challenges for the libraries related to the libraries’ mission, their role and place in the modern society. The brief historical review of librarianship is given; the key factors of its transformation are revealed. The focus is made on the libraries – government authorities interaction and, in particular, on the so-called optimization of public libraries which primarily means the decreasing library network. The well-shaped state policy in librarianship is lacking today which impedes development of an upgraded unified concept. By examining the ratio of information and cultural &educational functions of the public libraries, the authors conclude on the need for some balance based on social demand, target and resource potential of each library. The transformation of the concept of the library profession and related problems of library education as the foundation for preservation and development of human resources in the library sphere, are also discussed. The libraries’ principal response to the challenges lies in the theoretical substantiation, testing in practice, mobility and relevance.

The authors analyze the presence of the Russian journals in library and information sciences in the leading databases with the citation analysis function, i. e. Web of Science Core Collection (WoS CC), including Emerging Sources Citation Index, Scopus and Russian Index of Science Citation, as well as Russian Science Citation Index, EBSCO, LISA. About fifty Russian journals in these disciplines are revealed. The authors emphasize their insufficient coverage by the science citation databases. They suggest the following reasons for this situation: the limited number of journals in the library and information studies, non-compliance with formal requirements of citation databases, low quality of publications. The authors formulate the measures to improve the situation: to comply with international standards, to improve their quality so they could compete to foreign journals, as the international database generators and experts use international standards to select science journals for indexing.

The university libraries are analyzed as an integrated system of elements with various characteristics. Within any system, any structural changes will inevitably impact its every component. The authors describe the mechanism for leading query and corresponding services. They also define the term “dynamic university library” which is the traditional or networked user information services with any media based on the leading query services. The dynamic library services are classified by the library specialization (library, research and academic services) and by information delivery method (traditional, online traditional and the leading query services). The core collection structure comprises three equally-weighted elements: the basic, intermediary, and intellectual one. The scheme of useable library operation is revealed. Along with sources ordered, the libraries can offer a series of additional services: reviews, author’s bibliography, citation data, subject bibliographies, etc. Based on the suggested classification, the core structure and operation scheme, the model of a dynamic university library is designed.

The current problems of open access to science and education information and international visibility of regional open e-libraries (repositories) are discussed. The foreign and national experience in developing regional e-libraries, their status and dynamics are analyzed. The authors argue that accessibility of open electronic libraries are the must for science, education and culture; these libraries provide unlimited access to scientific and learning resources, as well as to the local materials. E-libraries integration between different systems and sectors makes one of the stages in the transition to the open digital resources. The authors emphasize that Orenburg region has got every prerequisite for building its single open information space. The characteristic features of scientific and education open e-library in Orenburg region are revealed. Special attention is given to selecting soft- and hardware for building the open electronic library. The leading role of academic libraries in scientific, educational and local content building tailored to regional features is emphasized.

The authors discuss the study findings and the Library’s experience in integrating open access resources into the resource base of the information support offered to Siberian researchers and scholars. The dynamic technology of resources organization and use calls for continuous monitoring of the open access resources. Using the open access resources as an object of collection development improves the effectiveness of user services and preservation of socially significant content which impacts the libraries’ importance within the system of scientific communications. The library collection as a library’s strategic element is transforming with widening the formats, generic and specific limitations, and integrating traditional collections with the open access resources. This results in the sophisticating organizational and technological model of collection development. The efficiency of integrated open access library services demonstrate the users’ interest to and demand for them. The open access resources have been being increasingly included into the relevant collection development at the academic libraries. The systematic collection of open access resources can operate as a compensational technological system against other expensive resources. Integrating the open access resources into the collections of the State Public Scientific and Technological Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences Siberian Branch proves to be naturally determined and impacts the prospects for collection development.

The Copyright Clearance Center held the meeting of university publishers within the framework of the Frankfurt Book Fair. The meeting proceedings were sent to the active users. We are offering several of them that might be of interest to our readers. The brief communication by Michael Kolman, IPA President: Copyright in the Crosshairs; information by the UN News, and Mark Piesing’s thoughts on “What is “Plan S” and Why Are Many Publishers Worried” (Mark Piesing is an independent journalist and a blogge). The original texts in English are give in the appendix to the paper. Read more on the problem at: https://www.scienceeurope.org/ coalition-s.

The article presents a paper delivered at the International Conference of the Russian Academy of Sciences Library (BAN) on November 23, 2018. The purpose of the paper is to capture the image of the BAN and its reader at key moments of their life over three centuries with method of portraying. The author gives three portraits of the BAN and its readers. The first portrait (1718– 1917) shows birth and formation of the library as a national and academic book depository. It emphasizes influence of the authorities in strengthening international relations with libraries in Western Europe. It notes the active role of readers in its development. The second portrait (1917– 1991) is devoted to the BAN as the basis for the development of the Russian science that occupied an honored place in the world and gained respect for the works of its readers. The ideology of the BAN was focused on their scientific interests. The article characterizes the role of the library in the years of the Great Patriotic War, the new readership and the specificity of readers' requests. It provides information about the readers of the BAN in the postwar years. It considers the activities of the library and its readers in eliminating the consequences of the February 1988 fire. The third portrait (1991–2018) characterizes the BAN and its readers in modern conditions. Attention is paid to the fact that the library carefully preserves the traditions and continues to remain a unique book depository not only to the national, but also tothe world science and culture.

The paper is devoted to anniversary of the talented scientist and the teacher G.V. Gedrimovich (St. Petersburg), the outstanding representative of the Leningrad school of sciences. Professional skills of G.V. Gedrimovich were formed in National Library of Russia named after M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin. Its teaching activity was connected with the Leningrad State Institute of Culture named after N.K. Krupskaya for many years. G.V. Gedrimovich was developer of the major training course "Bibliography of Technical Literature", she took active part in formation of the Leningrad school of studying documentary. In scientific community G.V. Gedrimovich is known as the talented mentor of young scientists. Under her management Master's theses from many institutes of culture and libraries of Russia and abroad are defended. G.V. Gedrimovich actively works in the system of professional development of library staff. It is one of the most authoritative authors of the collection "Technical Libraries of the USSR" (then "Scientific and technical libraries"), the initiator of a practical work for employees of libraries. Recently, G.V. Gedrimovich develops information maintenance of marketing activity of the enterprises, her efforts are directed to formation of information culture of experts in the field of management.