Knowra National Library of Russia National Library of Russia The National Library of Russia is a major research library in Saint Petersburg, founded in 1795 as the Imperial Public Library and opened to the public in 1814. It is one of Russia’s national libraries.
Catherine the Great : Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, known for expanding the empire and sponsoring Enlightenment institutions. Her 1795 decree established the library as the Imperial Public Library.
National library : A library designated to collect, preserve, and provide access to a country’s published heritage. This institutional role distinguishes it from ordinary municipal and university libraries.
Russian State Library : A major national library in Moscow, originally founded as the Rumyantsev Museum library. It shares national-library status but is a separate institution based in Moscow.
Russian literature : Literature written in Russian, including works produced across different periods and regions. Its collections preserve editions and documents central to studying Russian literary history.
Załuski Library : A major Polish public library in Warsaw, founded in 1747 and transferred to Saint Petersburg after the partitions of Poland. Its seized collection became a major foundation of the Imperial Public Library.
Legal deposit : A legal requirement that publishers provide copies of their publications to designated libraries. Deposit laws help the library systematically collect Russian publications.
Russian National Bibliography : The systematic record of publications issued in Russia and, historically, the Russian Empire. The library’s collecting and cataloguing work supports bibliographic access to Russian publishing.
Russian National Library Manuscript Collection : The National Library of Russia’s manuscripts, including historical, literary, and documentary materials. These holdings make the library a major source for research on Russia’s past.
Imperial Public Library : The historic name of the National Library of Russia from its founding until the early Soviet period. This was the institution’s original identity when it opened to the public in 1814.
Research library : A library whose collections and services support advanced study and scholarly research. Its extensive rare and scholarly holdings serve researchers across many fields.
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