International Projects

In autumn 2014, RSLYA launched Project Library Planet, which celebrates colourful modern libraries that cater to a young audience. Our specialists visit especially interesting libraries of the world and make short videos about them.

Our goals is to show librarians and readers alike the best practices from different countries, the best modern libraries, how they work with their communities, what resources and opportunities they give for education, communication, work, self-development and self-expression. Many people still think of libraries as dusty, boring spaces. Project Library Planet challenges this vision, inspires positive change in libraries, and motivates young volunteers, readers and creative young people to engage with libraries.

The Virtual Public Library Reference and Information Service is the international project which unites 27 libraries in Russia, two libraries in Ukraine and one in Kazakhstan. The project started in 2000 based on the first «Virtual Reference Service» in the Runet which was created by Russian State Library for Young Adults specialists (who at that time worked for the Kievskaya Central Library System). Here the specially trained staff with professional certificates answer the users’ questions. There is also an archive which contains more than 83 000 questions and answers.

Website: http://library.ru/help

Russian State Library for Young Adults participates in Sister Libraries Project — a programme of IFLA Section Libraries for Children and Young Adults, along with over a hundred libraries around the world. RSLYA is partnered with two libraries in Stockholm: PUNKTmedis (Young Adult Library) and Serieteket (Comics Library).

The three libraries’ largest joint project — STEP BY STEP: 365 days in the library — received recognition among IFLA members. RSLYA came up with the idea of the project and implemented it.

Every day, in the course of the year-long project, the sister libraries posted one photo with a short commentary in English, illustrating the most important event of the day. Thus, the real day-to-day life of libraries in Moscow and in Stockholm could be observed. A final report about the results of the project was made by RSLYA and PUNKTmedis staff at the IFLA Section Libraries for Children and Young Adults meeting.

As part of the partnership, Swedish librarians took part in a number of conferences organized by RSLYA (Today’s Young People in the Modern Library International Conference, Russian Convention for Young Librarians) and in the Section Young Adult Services at the Crimea Conference 2013. RSLYA staff in turn took part in book fairs and comics fests in Stockholm libraries.

A book exchange project was launched in 2013. PUNKTmedis staff carried out a survey of users’ preferences and made a list of books by Russian authors — those books were given to the Swedish library by RSLYA. In return, the Moscow library received 20 books by Swedish authors from the Swedish colleagues. These books became the foundation of a new project Book Patchwork — a collection of books for young adults and about young adults from around the world.

Book Patchwork is a collection of popular young adult literature from different countries that started with the books given by the Stockholm young adult library. Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association, contributed a list of the latest titles popular with young American readers, and RSLYA staff began selecting English-language books for young people. At the moment, the collection has books in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Swedish. The National Library for Children and Young Adults in Seoul, South Korea, has agreed to join the project.

This international research project in 5 languages is managed by the Russian State Library for Young Adults. The objective is to find out from the results of short questionnaires what people in different countries think about books, reading, the Internet, education, in short, about everything connected with libraries and young adults.

Website: http://www.libplanet.org

Russian State Library for Young Adults worked together with two Stockholm libraries — PUNKTmedis (Young Adult Library) and Serieteket (Comics Library) — on this project, created within the IFLA Sister Libraries Project framework. RSLYA came up with the idea of the project, which lasted a year, from May 2012 to May 2013, and implemented it. Every day the participants posted one photo with a commentary in English thus illustrating a day in the life of the libraries in Moscow and in Stockholm.

Website: http://photoday.libplanet.org

Jazz college students and graduates, as well as famous musicians take part in this annual summer festival. Here you can listen to different jazz styles like fusion, jazz-rock, mainstream, gospel and blues. The festival takes place at the courtyard of the Nosov’s Mansion, RSLYA’s historical and cultural centre for young people.