Thursday April 23 - Minsk

Thursday, April 23. Dr. Levner and I meet for breakfast only to find that we have forgotten about the change in time-Belarus is one hour behind Moscow. After breakfast I attempt to buy stamps to mail postcards--but there are no stamps. I also try to change some dollars to rubles at exchange bureau—but there are no rubles. Fortunately I still have some from Moscow, but I do not have any coupons, which are required as well for most purchases. Perhaps I will not need to buy anything here? The director of the National Library, Galina Oleinik arrives as planned at the hotel and we proceed in the library's car to the National Library. The meetings last virtually the entire day, including a long section during which I answered many questions about the Library of Congress (exchange business is described in visit summary).

Many of the problems that the National Library is to be heard throughout the remainder of the trip, in the total absence of hard currency for acquisitions. Also, the matter of copyright (the protection of intellectual property) is completely up in the air. At the moment there simply isn't any real protection. Hopefully parliament will act to create laws on this question, but so far--nothing. Acquisitions for the National Library sounds much like the Russian State Historical Library--it is necessary to have people working on the street, buying materials as they spot them.

The Belarus Knizhnaia palata (BKP) is not considered to working particularly well, and in fact the assumption is that eventually it will cease to exist—its functions being absorbed by the National Library. The BKP is doing essentially many functions with manual files, that the National Library must then repeat (and the National Library is beginning to automate operations). (Similar statements were made in all republics concerning the former republic-level KPs, i.e, that it is expected that republic-level KPs are not going to last and will be absorbed in the national libraries.) As far as the national KP and the national Letopisi, the situation is unclear. Although they seem to think that in theory "everything" should be in their, they are really not to concerned about whether it is or not--it is a non-issue.

Automation is proceeding but unfortunately this library demonstrates another trait seen in all the libraries visited in these former republics--total non-cooperation with the other major libraries in the country. The library has its own programmers that have reworked a database package for programming and other purposes. A short demonstration indicates that while considerable effort has gone into this project, there are probably significant problems ahead.

We are given a tour of the library. The library is very heavily used, especially by students. The building has far more books in it then it was intended to, so that there are books in halls, etc. Like all the libraries we will visit in the former republics, they are switching from the BBK classification system to UDK. We are shown the independent press collection. Dr. Levner asks to look at a particular title, and in a moment reminiscent of similar situations at LC, the staff is unable to find it. Later a copy is found in the rare book room--a second copy that does not circulate is kept there. The library is planning to film their independent press collection.

The National Library is especially interested in collecting materials on Belarus (all the National Libraries have a similar interest) and has a special "Belarus archive'' that is just a separate collection of everything written in or about Belarus. Belarus has two legal languages--Belarusian and Russian. Well over half of all publishing is in Russian at present. The Director said that this situation is expected to change in the next three to five years, however, with Belarusian becoming more common than Russian. Even some scientific publishing is now in Belarusian (although this is recognized as perhaps less than a wise move--and on the street I rarely heard anything but Russian.)

The high point of the meetings was the description of the new building for the National Library that is to be built. At present, the library is in three buildings that are in poor condition and too small. The new building features a hexagonal glass cube 72 meters in height, which will house the collections. Both Dr. Levner and I are surprised by certain aspects of this design, but they assert they have thoroughly researched the matter.

In the middle of the meetings we broke for lunch, and the Director and her deputy, Tamara Aksenova, went to a nearby hotel for lunch. This particular hotel used to serve only the party, but the service and food are not particularly noteworthy. The Director also arranges for tickets to a piano recital this evening and an Opera the next (and the Academy of Sciences arranges for tickets to a ballet the third). The piano recital is in a small church, but at the break, Levner and I depart—I'm exhausted.

Back in the hotel I watch a little Russian television (channel 1 is available everywhere I go in the FSU). A rather odd program based entirely on the Mattel toy "Barbie" is on, which includes a host who claims that she IS Barbie. Anyway, Barbie introduces several American videos, including one by M.C. Hammer. Barbie then explains that (whether he knew it or not) Hammer has employed many basic moves developed by Russian folk dancers. She demonstrates. She then moves on to explain a rather complex contest that the program is running. It is worth it, however, the grand prize is--a real Mattel "Barbie" doll.

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I still remember this day now - I was something of an unrehearsed sales representative as far as setting up these new exchanges, and this was my first "performance" with the National Library of Belarus. The main difference between this "performance" and later efforts was that I got faster, and it became less tiring.