Shortly after this meeting Iuri Usachev appears. He is the sales representative in Moscow for Eastview Publications. Eastview has an expanded list of serials for subscription which Usachev gives to Dr. Levner. Eastview is trying to work with the Knizhnaia palata to create a new acquisitions system for foreign libraries by piggy-backing their (paid) orders onto mandatory deposits. There are obvious problems with this, such as are the mandatory deposits being made? The thinking seems to be that the paid orders will increase the likelihood that the deposits will be made. This represents an alternative to the Bibkollektor approach that LC is trying. In general this split between two acquisitions systems, both ties to required deposits copies (both paid and unpaid) seems unfortunate. Also, it is unclear the soon-to-be-enacted law of mandatory deposit copies will have on these operations. Mr. Usachev's discussion of all these issues was typical of Eastview--lots of confidence that potential difficulties can and will be overcome.
During my stay in Moscow I notice that the Moscow acquisitions office is constantly receiving visitors from all parts of the FSU. Today a scholar from Yekaterinburg appears who is an acquisitions contact for Dr. Levner. He also wrote a letter to the Library of Congress requesting information at one time, which by chance I responded to. Both he and I are surprised to actually meet one another. Unfortunately he has yet to receive the letter, which contained xeroxed materials. I am suspicious that it has been "lost" in the mail.
On the way to the next exchange partner visit it was necessary to visit Intourist. At one office, which was specified on the voucher that I had, I was told that "my tol'ko zanimaemsia buznismenami" (we only work with businessmen). Librarians, apparently, are not businessmen. Therefore it was necessary to visit a second office, which previously has only worked with clients via telex, fax or phone. Their guard, in fact, was extremely reluctant to let Dr. Levner and myself in. Once in the operations office it became clear that this organization was unused to working with live customers--all eight women there attempted to assist us at once (Levner having explained that our fate was in their hands). They seemed astonished by our itinerary--all the "hot spots," as they put it. Too many jokes about helmets and bulletproof jackets, given that we are, after all, just two librarians.
We then go to the Library of Foreign Literature for an exchange partner visit. Again run through program. As usual, the first half is received with interest. The Library of Foreign Literature is putting forward four candidates for the Soros program--probably the most of any one library. Certain aspects of our exchange are clarified.
After the meeting, Levner informs me that he has tickets to a press conference at Novosti publishers by Dmitri Volkogonov on the subject of his new books on Trotsky and Stalin. One questioner tries to provoke him by asking if he hadn't wasted his time by studying such horrible people for so long. Volkogonov responds that he believes that it in order to understand people it is necessary to understand "anti-people." Another questioner asks why the term "Stalinism" never become widely used. Volkogonov says that even Stalin had some modesty--for example, it was suggested that Moscow be renamed Gorod Stalina, but Stalin refused. After the press conference, a reception. Fortunately there is food at this affair (and in fact, for some this seems to be the entire point), and I get something to eat. Dr. Levner is able to go all day without food, which doesn't agree with me. I was somewhat surprised by the rather high "slime" factor of the audience, but Dr. Levner explains that the such a press conference is in large part to pay back various persons whose favor is necessary to the publisher.
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Another reasonably full day.
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