The author discusses the experience of the center for Information and Bibliographical Support of Learning and Science of the Scientific Library of Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Management in the methodology of selective information dissemination. The author examines the relevance of the method as applied in modern academic libraries and its efficiency for information and bibliographic  support, as well as for information and communication support of university science. She also emphasizes the significance of stable communications within a university, and proves the necessity for improving the relevance of information provided through selective information dissemination system using not only feedback sheets but also through face-to-face communication. The concept of selective information dissemination is analyzed. The origins of the method are discussed. The author examines the target users to be acquired by the system and suggests that new relevant information and bibliographic products are needed. She concludes that today the system of selective information dissemination is an effective and demanded one. It is important for increasing the university’s reputation capital and user service performance of the scientific library. 

User information support is among the functions of academic libraries. The authors attempt to reveal the potential of this activity vector. They characterize in brief the academic libraries’ performance in the external environment, reveal the changes in digital environment and social demands due to advancing IT: using Open Access, Semantic Web, Big Data and Data Analytics technologies in handling science data, the most recent phenomenon of Data Science, etc. The authors argue that the origins of further transformations will be the migration of communications, including scientific ones, toward the cyberspace, preferential generation and use of e-documents, supercomputer technologies, cloud computing, end-to-end technologies, multimodal interaction, science IT-services, etc. These transformations have been changing primarily the academic library users – who are high-end professionals with increasingly complex and unique information needs which the libraries are supposed to satisfy. This purpose can be fulfilled through prompt knowledge update, processing enormous flows of fast-aging information, delivery of resulting knowledge, comparative analytical data, range of solutions, etc. The current trends in the information support in academic libraries are discussed based on the information tail content analysis and observations: support of grant management, support of expert examination of academic papers, generation of analytical bibliographies, and organization of scientific communications, researchers, papers and ideas promotion in the global information space. In the professional literature, the information needs to determine the user services vectors for scientific libraries and their bibliographers are revealed, namely, IT-services support, virtual learning laboratory, e-science, knowledge and learning commons, library involvement in scientific data curation, expert analysis of generated information and preliminary quality appraisal, recommending publications and publishers to researchers, related administration and mediation, visual analytics, etc. The primary role of bibliographers in the libraries of the future is emphasized.

The author examines the concept of the bibliography as surrogate knowledge. The concept was developed by Prof. Yury Zubov (1924–2006), Dr. Sc. (Pedagogy), a prominent Soviet and Russian bibliographer, researcher, culturologist, in the late 1970s – early 1980s. The fundamentals of the concept are revealed and characterized, namely: 1) formalizing functions of bibliography that enable to structurize and compress the knowledge and knowledge information which makes an imperative for humans’ thinking limited with the brain capacity, time and spatial extent; 2) the concept logical justification based on the study of scientific knowledge genesis, beginning in the antiquity (encyclopedism – differentiation – integration). The scholar proved that bibliography development was determined by the scientific knowledge genesis and its content structure. The essential qualities of bibliography (formalizing qualities and genetic affinity with science and scientific knowledge) determine the concept’s prognostic character. The modern bibliographic activities have been coopting the features of science and scientific knowledge development, namely transdisciplinarity and postnonclassic science rationality norms. The concept key role in the development of scientific libraries in the circumstances of their transforming activities is substantiated.

The chief editor of the LBC (from February 1997) talks about how he turned out to be in this position, what tasks he set for himself, what he managed to accomplish. LBC was highly appreciated by the world classification community. As the National Classification System of Russia, the LBC is used in the vast majority of libraries in the country – and not only in scientific or public, but also in many other libraries. By the end of the second decade of the XXI century the country has a new system, completely de-ideologized, updated, significantly different from the Soviet LBC. Published full, medium and abridged schedules, and specialized schedules version for school and children libraries. Complex and systematic scientific and methodological work were organized. Established a permanent consulting activity. The functions of the LBC have changed, but many librarians do not understand this, despite the constant explanatory work. Today the tasks of organizing an open library space and systematic arrangement of book collections provided to readers are put forward in the first place. The tasks of deep search in catalogs were relegated to the background due to the unwillingness of automated systems programmers to create an effective classification search. The quality of OPACs remains very low. Existing tools hardly provide a verbal search. Experts know that only a search using modern classification systems can be more effective – complete and deep. The author examines in detail the problems with which a small team of the LBC Development Research Center constantly meets. First of all, this is a misunderstanding of the importance of working with the National Classification System on the part of management bodies. The second most important problem is personnel training. If these problems are not solved, the country will not be able to maintain a unique system. In the final part of the article the author speaks about the medium-term program of activities in the field of LBC. 

The experience of IRBIS64 Library Automation System implementation into the specialized library for the blind is discussed. The settings and functions of management of users, collections, and events databases are considered. The key dictionaries of setting storage places and user categories are described. At the library, the user cart html-template has been adapted for various user categories. The AVD System union catalog is used for sharing. The optional IRBIS64-based specialized modules are also discussed, namely the adapted catalog and digital record log designed specifically for the users and services of Kaluga N. Ostrovsky Regional Special Library for the Blind. The methods and principles of software for the blind and visually impaired people are examined. The approach under examination combines the two different methods, that compliant with the international WCAG2.0 standards and the other using cloud technologies of Yandex SpeechKit. The research project enables to fulfill the TyphloCatalog project of designing Internet-based catalog for the specialized libraries for the blind.

The author argues that the library schools lack the applicants who choose “Library and information activities” as specialization due to the underestimation of the prospects of library profession by secondary school students. Repositioning of the librarian’s image and shifting the emphases within the career guidance content are needed. The author analyzes the related digital resources and concludes that the represented image of library professionals is not that attractive. The meaningful professional orientation must be built on the motives and values of the young people choosing their future profession. The sociological studies completed in several Russian regions the dominating motivation of young people was revealed. They correspond with the satisfaction/dissatisfaction factors demonstrated in questioning the young Russian librarians. The positive aspects of the library profession to be promoted among the young are also discussed. The author proposes that for target career orientation we should rely on the key psychological types that differ in values when choosing profession. The Maslow pyramid demonstrates the differences in the professional choice criteria. It is used to structure the library professional orientation arguments.

Review of the book: Ecological information: Methods and instruments of analytical and bibliometrical studies (as exemplified by bibliographic databases): An information and analytical review / E. F. Bychkova and K. S. Borgoyakova. – Moscow, 2018. – 67 p. – ISBN 978-5-85638-216-6.

The book “Ecological information: Methods and instruments of analytical and bibliometrical studies (as exemplified by bibliographic databases)” is an information and analytical review completed by Elena Bychkova, leading researcher, and Kristina Bogoyakova, researcher, Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology. The authors compiled and generalized their research finding related to the role of ecological information in the modern world. Based on the abstract database “Ecology: Science and technology” of the RNPLS&T E-catalog and several citation databases (Google Sсhоlаr, Scopus, Russian Science Citation Index), the researchers conducted the bibliometrical study of document and information flow in ecology. They concluded that science citation databases could be the subject of analytical and bibliometrical studies aimed at revealing the interests of scientific community towards ecology and the trends in treating specific ecological problems. The suggested methods of bibliometrical analysis of ecological publications will be of interest to the broad professional community and may be used within learning curriculum in ecology and bibliometrics, as well as within library advanced training and retraining programs.

Traditionally (for 20 years in a row) the issues of ecological education have been being discussed at the forum. As of present time, the section “Ecological information and ecological culture” held since 2018 within the framework of the International Conference on the global ecological problems, makes an important and highly demanded professional site for librarians’ exchanging their experience in the area. The conference program comprises papers, round tables, master classes. In 2019, the focus has been made on the innovative instruments of ecological education. The review of events and individual papers enables to get the idea of the libraries’ activities, to absorb new ideas, to find partners and like-minded associates. In 2019, for the first time, the special program for 12–17 year-olds was organized, namely “The school site: What does quality living mean? (on the UN sustainable development goals)”. The leaning program and games were offered to the winners of and participants in the essay and research contest, as well as for anyone interested.  The Crimean schoolchildren took part in the event. The review also comprises references and links to multiple sources of the detailed and complete information with the conference subject scope.

The article highlights the content of reports presented at the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference "National Libraries of the Subjects of the Russian Federation: Traditions and New Strategic Initiatives" (July 11-13, 2019 in Ulan-Ude). The purpose of the conference was to discuss and comprehend the significance of the National Library of the subject of the Russian Federation in preserving and disseminating the documentary cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia, ways of further developing public libraries as the most important resource for the spiritual development of modern society.The conference was organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Buryatia, the Ministry of Culture and Spiritual Development of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the National Library of the Republic of Buryatia, the National Library of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the East Siberian State Institute of Culture and the Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts.The main attention is paid to the analysis of the distribution of the book in Yakutia in 1836-1917, as one of the leading areas of research activity of the National Library of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The information on the distribution of the book in Yakutia, major implemented projects confirming the status of the National Library as a leading scientific center in the field of book science, library science and bibliography are presented. In addition to the main topic of the report, the library community was acquainted with the history, theory and modern practice of librarianship, the disclosure of funds, the study of book monuments in the region.