The Digital Library of the National Library of Russia is an open and generally accessible information resource. As of the beginning of 2019, the Digital Library includes over 650,000 scanned copies of books, magazines, newspapers, music publications, graphic materials, maps, plans, atlases, and audio recordings.
The Digital Library provides simple and efficient access for local and remote users to the most valuable and rare documents from our collections. It allows readers to quickly obtain the publications they need, including large-format maps, atlases, newspapers.
The scanned materials includes, first of all, items from the holdings of the National Library of Russia, as well as those from partner libraries, various publishing organizations, authors and readers. Working together, we have carried out a number of projects, including joint projects of the NLR and the RSL to digitize the first Russian newspaper Vedomosty (News), and the Russian classics project presenting Russian classical works written between the 18th and 20th centuries.
The NLR staff adopt to current demands in order to respond to the necessities and expectations of readers.
Access to the Digital Library is available to all requesting it.
Among other interesting materials, we would like to draw your attention to several notable digital collections.
Literary Landmarks of the NLR
The collection embraces publications of special historical, scientific and cultural importance. It is divided into 6 sub-collections:
Rare Books
The collection consists of the 17th-18th century rare books and fragments of books.
Rossica
The Rossica collection consists of foreign works relating to Russia, published in West European languages as well as translations of Russian writers into European languages. The collection covers foreign-language publications about Russia acquired before 1930.
Maps
The collection contains foreign maps of the world and Russia dated between the 16th and 17th centuries, the 18th century Russian maps and atlases, plans of St. Petersburg of the 18th – 20th centuries, plans of cities and provinces of Russia, the 18th – 20th century maps of Siberia, the Far East, Alaska, various cartographic materials.
Manuscripts
Handwritten materials include the 16th and 17th century documents on the history of Russia and those related to the life and work of different persons.
Russian Advance-guard
The collection shows illustrated books from the collections of the National Library of Russia, containing experimental works of the Russian Advance-guard poets and artists of the first third of the 20th century.
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All Digital Collections
Online Catalogue
Online Enquiry Form
Online Сatalogues
Collections
Digital Library
Reading Rooms
Electronic Document Delivery
Information Services
Online Exhibitions
The Library is open Monday—Friday from 9:00 to 21:00; Saturday, Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00.
The Library is closed on public holidays and last Tuesday of each month. On pre-holidays, the Library is open from 9:00 to 16:00.