April 13, 2001 The Center for the Book Welcomes Nine Visiting Librarians From Russia

On April 24, the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress will welcome a delegation of nine librarians from throughout Russia who will spend eight days observing and learning about the center's national reading promotion program.

The visit, funded by the Open Society Institute in Moscow, is the first phase of a cooperative reading promotion project of the Open Society Institute, the Open Society Institute's Pushkin Library Megaproject, and the Center for the Book. The Pushkin Library Megaproject strengthens library collections and libraries primarily in Russia, but also in other countries.

The reading promotion project's goals are to share information about effective reading promotion projects and campaigns and to promote a better understanding of the role and importance of reading and libraries in society. The project has been developed in cooperation with the Reading Section of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), which is chaired by John Y. Cole, director of the Center for the Book.

"The Center for the Book is delighted to host such a distinguished group of Russian colleagues," said Mr. Cole. "Their visit has been timed to coincide with the Center for the Book's April 28 awards ceremony for "River of Words," our international environmental poetry and art contest, and the meetings of the center's affiliates from 41 states and the District of Columbia on April 29 to May 1. The exchange of reading promotion ideas will be beneficial for Russians and Americans alike."

The delegates will first visit Richmond and tour the Library of Virginia for three days, learning about the activities of the Virginia Center for the Book. On April 27, they will visit the District of Columbia Public Library, which also is the home of the District of Columbia Center for the Book. After a final day at the Library of Congress, the delegation returns to Russia on the evening of May 2.

The delegates are: Elena M. Alexandronets, Director, Central Library System, Kaliningrad; Nelli N. Belova, Director, Vologda Regional Library; Evguenia M. Kolesnikova, Director, Don State Public Library, Rostov-Don; Anastasia A. Kornienko, International Relations Department, All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature, Moscow; Svetlana D. Maldova, Deputy Director, Tver Regional Library; Elena Sineva, Director, Murmansk Regional Library; Liudmila S. Spiridonova, Deputy Director, National Library of the Chuvash Republic; Valeria D. Stelmakh, Russian State Library, Moscow, Project Director; Olga S. Stepina, Director, Arkhangelsk Regional Library. Maria A. Vedenyapina, Executive Director, Pushkin Library Megaproject. Members of the Open Society Institute will accompany the visitors.

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress was established in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and libraries. For information about its state, national, and international projects and reading promotion partners, visit its Web site at www.loc.gov/cfbook.