Russian language – in reflection of the Presidential Library’s holdings

The Presidential Library is preparing to present the thematic year of Russian language. It officially starts on September 1, the first day of the new school year. In anticipation of this, the nation-wide electronic repository of historical documents and materials is featuring rare, little-known books and preparing projects to promote purity of the Russian language and its importance not only in domestic but also in world history.

The Presidential Library intends to participate in distance teaching of Russian language, to engage in the practical implementation of the tasks set in 2012 by the Russian President in his State of the Nation. This can be done through open video lectures "Knowledge about Russia", exhibition activities, using the documents from the electronic holdings. They include more than 220, 000 items, many of which demonstrate how the language had been changing for centuries.

The formation of the catalog "Russian language", which includes books and research on grammar, translation, stylistics, culture of speech continues. Most of the material is available to users of the Presidential Library only in electronic form, as the books are rare, and the originals held by libraries and archives, are never out on loan.

Among the issues there is the "Civil alphabet with moralizing" published in 1710 and bearing personal corrections made by the hand of Peter the Great. On the eve of International Mother Language Day, celebrated on February 21, the edition will be presented to public at large as a topical document on the web site of the Presidential Library www.prlib.ru. The book is interesting both for the content and for the fact that it was previously stored in the Synod, and after - in the Russian State Historical Archives. After extensive renovation, since 2009 these premises built by the architect Carlo Rossi have been occupied by the national Presidential Library.

The book shows to what extent the issues of language and its spread were within the sphere of interest of the state. By the end of the 17th century the alphabet which Russia adopted along with Christian literature, retained its archaic features, being inconvenient for typing printed text due to accent marks. Therefore, the reform changed both the structure of the alphabet, and the form of letters.