The Presidential Library to develop projects with the Russian Historical Society

At a workshop at the Presidential Library was created the Petersburg branch of the Russian Historical Society. Director of the State Hermitage, Mikhail Piotrovsky, was elected its chairman unanimously.

The St. Petersburg branch is the first regional center of the Russian Historical Society. This is due to the fact that it was in St. Petersburg, in 1866, that the organization was founded, and the North-West territory is the most important from a historical point of view. As noted at the meeting the Director General of the Presidential Library, Alexander Vershinin, today, it is important to present historical information in an interesting, interactive form, using the latest advanced technologies. "The work of the Russian branch of the Historical Society is of particular importance to the Presidential Library. We will participate in projects such as the creation of virtual museums, video films to promote the historical and cultural heritage; take part in information and methodological coordination in digital environment of historians, museums, archives, public organizations," noted Alexander Vershinin.

St. Petersburg branch will address these issues, confirmed Mikhail Piotrovsky. He stressed the importance of the use of the resources and innovation platform of the Presidential Library in the development of video lectures, creation of educational programs available to the maximum number of people through the Internet. "We will involve in the work not only known, but interesting academic institutions," said the chairman of St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Historical Society.

This point of view was supported by the Director of the State Museum-Preserve "Tsarskoye Selo" - Olga Taratynova. According to her, "... under the support of the established branch and of the Presidential Library, we are ready to make available online materials on the World War I, to create a joint video lecture covering the issues of history for the younger generation." Nikolai Burov, Director of the Museum-Monument "St. Isaac's Cathedral" saturated the meeting with a specific proposal to create a multimedia information bank for the branch of the Russian Historical Society.

The readiness to contribute to this activity, if the holdings are "open", expressed the Director of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, Irina Popova, and the Director General of the National Library of Russia, Anton Likhomanov, who offered also to create an integrated development program for the branch of the Russian Historical Society.

The meeting was also attended by the Director of the State Russian Museum, Vladimir Gusev, of the Russian Museum of Ethnography, Vladimir Grusman, Director of the State Historical Archive, Alexander Sokolov, Director of the State Museum-Preserve "Peterhof" Elena Kalnitskaya, heads of institutes and public historical organizations.

During the week, the Council of the organization will be formed; at the first meeting of the Russian Historical Society it will be approved, and there will be considered the development program according to the proposals put forward at the Presidential Library.