The article is devoted to the modern period of research activity of the Russian State Library ‒ one of the Russian Federation’s national libraries, which, in accordance with the current legislation, are research institutions in library science, bibliography and book studies, and methodological, scientific-information and cultural centers of federal importance, participating in development and implementation of the federal policy in the field of librarianship. The article presents the main directions and subjects of the RSL’s research work in 2015–2018. In addition to traditional areas (the history, theory and practice of librarianship, the disclosure of collections, and the study of monuments of book culture), there have also been developed some research projects aimed at solving current issues of library development in the digital environment (the formation and organization of access to electronic information resources, the creation of digital services, etc.). The article demonstrates major publications of the RSL employees, representing the research results (monographs and articles, catalogues, bibliographic indexes, manuals and reference books). The article analyzes the innovations in organizing scientific activities and the achieved results (including scientometric characteristics), which confirm the status of the Russian State Library as a leading research center in the field of library science, bibliography and book studies.

The authors substantiate the importance and the need for the study of the functional character of information needs (further referred as IN) of scientists at research institutes and, in particular, the Federal Research Center in Pushchino Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (PSC RAS) in order to improve information services. Much attention was paid to the study of IN of scientists searching for patent information. The authors summarize the results of the analysis of information needs of researchers specializing in physicochemical biology. They substantiate the need for user patent information support comprising information and analytical services, consulting, methodical work and patent studies. The study findings demonstrate that patent information services hold a special place in the modern information infrastructure and are highly demanded by the PSC RAS users. Based on the study results, the authors introduce the concept of patent information support of PSC RAS library users. This model envisages priority development of online and analytical services for the patent research. Such information support of PSC RAS researchers would facilitate profitability and benefits and increase interest in the library services.

The authors aim to substantiate the methodical approach to revealing corporate leaders in publishing and patent activities based on the primary Scopus, Web of Science и Derwent data machine-readable in XML format. The approach is based on the fractional calculus method, i. e. determining the organization’s weight by the number of its academic papers or issued patents proportionally to the number of specified affiliates. The organizational ranking method is based on the experience of the Leiden ranking (in using fractional calculus method) and the Academic Ranking of World Universities (in calculating the weighted value per one researcher, and choosing quality rating method). The authors emphasize that the fundamental distinctive feature of the proposed ranking methodology is that the integral index is calculated with the comparable Scopus and Web of Science parameters. For this purpose ranking of organizations is developed based on the average number of issued patents as reported by Derwent. The study proves that the top-5 ratings for Russian organization leading in publication activities, as reported by Scopus and Web of Science, overlap substantially and cover the public sector of science and higher education, The top-5 of Russian organizations leading in patent activities comprise primarily the non-government, commercial sector of science.

The author emphasizes the most important role of astronomy as one of the oldest areas of research and biotechnology and as a relatively young field of basic research. Five vectors in biotechnological research are specified. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the findings of 2013–2018 in these two scientific fields on the basis of RSCI (Russian Science Citation Index) databases. The analysis was accomplished with a number of scientometric indicators: publication activity of researchers, as well as citation and relevance of their findings. The dynamics of indicators of publication activity is evaluated: for astronomy, the indicators remain practically unchanged, while for biotechnology, the same indicators exceed the eponymous figures in astronomy threefold. Besides, the values were continuously increasing since 2013; and in 2017, the publication activity indicators increase by up to 25% as compared to 2013. At the same time, indicators of citation for astronomy and biotechnology, reflecting the academic community response to the research findings, as well as the demand indicators, were continuously decreasing over the 5-year period. At the same time, in terms of demand, the research findings in astronomy and biotechnology were in the top of the natural science studies during the whole period under consideration.

The article includes a number of tables representing the study results. 

Modern practical experience in bibliometrics is based on the scrupulous study of researchers’ performance on the Internet. Most of the Russian scientists are confused by an array of indicators, and are unable to assess their own level of influence on modern science. The dynamic and successful development of science and related scientific and research activities throughout the twentieth century has revealed the vital problem of measuring the effects (impacts) of research findings. Participating in the academic life, the researchers have to evaluate constantly themselves and the colleagues in terms of assessing individual and collective contribution and using "digital" scientometrical indicators. The author reviews the modern perception of the significance and role of "digital" indicators in scientometrics on the whole, and in bibliometrics, in particular, in assessing modern science and its findings. While such indicators as Hirsch index, impact factor of scientific publications are the widely-known indicators, and Eigenfactor (native factor) is familiar to the few, almost no one knows what altmetrics and informetrics are and how to apply them. This article will make the first work in the series on the practical aspects of applying "digital" bibliometrical indicators in the daily researcher’s routine.

The experience of foreign digital libraries of the universities of Marburg (Germany), Chalmers (Sweden) and Graz (Austria) is discussed. The structure of the libraries being reviewed comprises six key elements of DELOS conceptual model, i. e. content, users, functionality, quality, policy, and architecture. The Marburg University Library cooperates with many German libraries and possesses vast collections and resources of various types, both it owns and shares with other libraries. The e-library of Chalmers University of Technology is based on the service-oriented Central Knowledge Database comprising paper and digital collections of full texts and metadata being administered with data import-export applications on the Discovery platform. The Graz Library is the bibliographic and information center; it supports scientific research and learning with literature in printed and digital formats, and preserves the cultural heritage in natural sciences and technology. Based on the review of the mentioned digital libraries, the author concludes that Russian libraries must study the foreign experience to develop the model of an inter-university digital library.

The author analyzes the new concept of “truly modern libraries” being developed by Vadim Stepanov who suggests to review the library functions and to re-orient the libraries toward providing socio-cultural and leisure services. The author analyzes these methodological and practical recommendations within the concept while demonstrating the practical “misery” of the concept itself and the recommendations which, to one degree or another, have been being developed in the national library studies. Thus, the open access to library collections is a common place since 1930s; every large library has got special room for public events, etc. The author discusses the experience of Helsinki city library (“Oodi”) that has switched to sociocultural and leisure services. Today, “Oodi” – is a cultural and entertaining center, comprising the library oriented toward leisure activities; in fact, it franchises the title of a library. The author demonstrates that accommodating libraries within cultural, leisure and entertaining complexes has been the common practice since the Soviet period. He emphasizes that changes in the national librarianship are of the multifactor character, while automation and computerization of library processes and online access lead to decreasing the library staff number and the volume of library collections. Thus, these changes may not be regarded as the manifestation of a crisis. The author suggests the projects must be being developed more responsibly.

The paper is dedicated to the 90-th anniversary of Rujero Sergeevich Gilyarevsky, one of the most prominent and respected scholars in the national book, library and information studies. The main stages of his professional career are characterized in brief: his working for All-Union State Library for Foreign Literature, Moscow Library Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences All-Russia Institute for Sci-tech Information (VINITI) and Moscow State University. Special attention is given to his theses researches (1958 and 1989), and his scholarly works – among them, the most popular monograph “The basics of the information science” (“Osnovy informatiki”, in Russian), all of them contributed a lot to our professional knowledge. His areas of expertise are: science information and communication, computer technologies (in particular, the problems of hypertext and e-books), and information management. The author discusses the most important vectors of Gilyarevsky’s professional work, i. e. teaching at the Journalism Department of Moscow State University, supervising post-graduates and doctoral students, and editing and publishing journals in the information science (“Sci-tech Information”, series 1 and 2, International Forum on Information). The width and depth of Gilyarevsky’s academic interests are emphasized.

The author offers the brief biographical information on Rujero Sergeevich Gilyarevsky whose 90-th anniversary is celebrated. She reviews the main stages of his academic and pedagogical career, in particular, his scholarly works, his two theses studies (candidate’s and doctoral), numerous publications that have been contributing to the librarianship, library and information sciences. The author emphasizes the scope of Gilyarevsky’s professional interests and retraces expanding of the subject scope of his publications – from catalog structuring (1954) to cloud technologies, information management and scientometrics. Rujero Gilyarevsky analyzes the problems of the libraries (and e-libraries, in particular), their future, professional values of the librarians within the digital communication environment, bibliography as an element of information culture. R. Gilyarevsky has complete mastery of several foreign languages. The selected bibliography of R. Gilarevsky’s publications, including those co-authored by his colleagues, is appended.

The paper is the overview of the 15-th V. A. Minkina memorial conference (St. Petersburg, State University of Culture, March 28–29, 2019). The 15-th anniversary annual scientific and methodical conference “Continuing LIS Education” was held at the Library and Information Science Department of St. Petersburg State University of Culture and was participated by the faculty and students of St. Petersburg State University of Culture, librarians from many Russian regions, and the experts in the field of library and information education from abroad. The international collaboration in the LIS was the key topic of 2019 discussion. The participants in the conference discussed the IFLA role in internationalization of LIS education, along with the issues of standardization and unification of professional education programs. Special attention was given to the IFLA analytical report “Building Strong Library and Information Science Education: a Call to Global and Local Action” and the Guidelines for Continuing Professional Development. The conference continued with the sessions of the round table “Opportunities of international collaboration in library and information education”. The participants in the discussion shared the experience of participation in international education programs and projects, in particular, the project by Information Sciences Department of Osijek University (Croatia) and the Information and Document Communications Department of Belarus State University of Culture and Arts. Irina Trushina, RLA Executive Director shared the Association’s experience in the area, too.