Project “The Library Area of Arts”
Among sociocultural processes and problems that libraries are facing the specialists are highly concerned about the slump in readers’ interest to supporting aspects of library activities.
In the course of rapid development of arts and forming of new kinds and genres of it, as certain groups of youth lose their interest in reading and also in cultural life in classical meaning of it, the ways of bringing back the public to the library became crucially important. Lack of wide humanitarian knowledge slows down adaptation for intellectuals to modern information environment and complicates library-information service in library itself. Service experience in RSAL demonstrates the use of limited scope of literature and sources in practical education as well as in the course of self-education. It distorts the vision of history and current status of culture and arts. Librarians and bibliographers prepare problem-oriented recommendations based on whole range of library resources which expands the knowledge to the fullest extent and makes it actual.
The Library area allows using wide possibilities of collections, digital resources and elements of museum display. The Library, as an area of art where an Artist meets library assistance, is a resource of knowledge and traditions as well as a creative laboratory for artistic intellectuals.
In order to educate the youth, especially those belonging to artistic field, it is necessary to determine the prospects to studying arts, to study history and modern perception of culture and to detect possible ways to arouse interest to various forms of art.
Russian State Art Library as a library of specific purpose is in best position to provide profound educational assistance in various original forms with the help of publishing, information and museum resources.
The Project “The Library Area of Art” is aimed to develop the library functions that are stretched outside the limits of purely librarian service.
The main target of the Project is to attract attention to national arts, to expand public perception of little-known events and art-methods.
The Project is divided into several activities.
Long-term program includes:
- Arranging seminars, workshops, discussions.
- Arranging meetings with theatre workers, playwrights, painters and designers.
- Preparing presentations, organizing book premiers, arranging discussions of books and projects.
The scope of Project is to primarily attract art professionals who use the service of RSAL. The Library therefore performs functions of navigator in the sphere of information and culture.
The Project involves workshops and meetings aimed to expand the perception of world achievements in the sphere of art criticism and culture with attention to both traditional and modern sources.
The initial stage of the Project (2008-2009) includes the following forms:
- The School “Working with photograph in libraries and museums”.
It consists of:
- A set of lectures given by leading specialists in the history of photography about the organization and development of photo collections.
- Workshops on catalogue maintenance and principles of description.
- Seminars on photographs storage.
- Lecture Centre “The History of Fashion”
- Presentation of new art oriented publications: the history of genres, foreign and Russian fine arts, architecture, stagecraft, drama, memoirs.
