The Presidential library opened its reading room in the capital of Belarus

On November 23 2010 the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library opened its electronic reading room in the capital of Belarus. The event marked the opening of the Russian Center of Science and Culture of Rossotrudnichestvo (the Federal Agency on the CIS, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation) in Belarus. Electronic resources of the Presidential library have now become freely accessible to all the patrons of the newly opened Russian center in Minsk.

Opening of the center is timed to the joint meeting of the Board of the Foreign Affairs Ministries of Russia and Belarus. The solemn ceremony was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Sergei Martynov, Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Farit Mukhametshin, Ambassador of Russia to Belarus Alexander Surikov, veterans, officials and public figures of Belarus.

Guests of the ceremony were shown multimedia projects and photo exhibitions which put the spotlight on cooperation between Russia and Belarus, as well as new Russian projects: “85 years of public diplomacy”, “50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s flight to space”, “Skolkovo”, “The Universiade in Kazan – 2013”, “Olympiad in Sochi – 2014”. The Presidential Library’s representative presented a reprint edition of the library entitled “Historical panorama of St. Petersburg and its outskirts" to the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Belarus.

The Russian Center of Science and Culture in Minsk will significantly maximize opportunities for forming an objective view of modern Russia. Opening of the virtual branch of the Russian Museum and electronic reading room of the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library – is an example of implementation of innovative methods for promotion of cultural heritage and spiritual richness of Russia.

The Boris Yeltsin Presidential library is the first national “born digital” library in Russia. It makes use of state-of-the-art technologies and offers access to information on the history and legislation of the Russian state. Some electronic resources of the library are available at www.prlib.ru.

On September 26 2010 the Boris Yeltsin Presidential library signed the Protocol of Intentions with the Federal Agency on the CIS, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo). The document stipulates cooperation targeted at foundation of library’s electronic reading rooms in Rossotrudnichestvo centers worldwide.