Digital content of regional central libraries in the Russian Federation as a potentiality for user access growth

Abstract

The government requirements toward digital content acquisition and use in libraries have been changing. The standards and regulations comprising the indicators of library activities in the digital environment are characterized. The findings of the study of the official websites of the central libraries of 85 subjects of the Russian Federation (22 republics, 46 regions, 9 territories, 4 autonomous districts, 1 autonomous region, and three cities of federal status), are cited. The goals of the study were: to examine the structure of local history digital content on the websites of central libraries of the RF subjects; to identify typical errors in acquiring the local history digital content that actually breaks down the barriers for remote users. The Russian libraries’ experience in generating local lore electronic information resources available to remote users, is discussed. The most popular types of electronic information resources are analyzed. The lack of unified terminology for digital content and the polysemy of the type names are emphasized. The presentation of local history digital content in the headings of websites of the RF central libraries of various federal status, is considered. Prospects for research of local history digital content optimization on the websites of RF central libraries are outlined.