History of library websites

Abstract

The history of foreign and Russian libraries’ websites in 1996—2017 is analyzed on the basis of professional publications and web-archive. The author analyzed the websites of Russian libraries, i. e. RASL Library for Natural Sciences, All-Russia Library for Foreign Literature, Russian State Library, Russian National Library, State National Pedagogical Library, Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology, Central Scientific Medical Library, State Public Scientific and Technological Library of the RAS Siberian Branch and divisions, Central Scientific Agricultural Library, Russian Academy of Sciences Library, Far Eastern State Scientific Library, Nizhny Novgorod Regional Universal Scientific Library, Novosibirsk State Regional Scientific Library. The number of websites was limited due to many changed domain names which disables the analysis. The archive copies of the selected libraries’ home pages obtained through the Wayback Machine service were analyzed. The first (1996–1998) home pages of Russian and foreign libraries are compared and distinctions are identified. The dynamics of Russian libraries’ websites up to 2017 is characterized. The author concludes that the libraries have been regularly changing design, content, representation forms, and navigation and retrieval systems, which is often not welcome by their users. The libraries have to introduce and promote efficiently their content and resources with the focus on user friendliness. Internet technologies and libraries’ representing themselves on the World Wide Web have changed library practice, and the libraries have to think over how to design the website and how to assess it.