Valerij Pavlovic Leonov Boeken

In Libraries in Russia, the author, Valerii Leonov, pursues the history of the first Russian national library, the Library of the Russian Academy of Science (Bibliotheca Akademii Nauk, short: BAN), from the beginning of the 18th century to the present. The library was founded by Peter the Great in 1714 and served as a model for the foundation of further libraries during the 18th century. This historical description is based on extensive historical and bibliographic material, including unique archive material, which is edited here for the first time. The title will be of interest to all in the humanities and everyone interested in Russian history and culture.

This book was written by Valerii Leonov, Director of the Academy of Sciences in St.Petersburg. In February 1988 the Academy of Sciences was hit by the worst library fire of the century. Using memoirs, documents, newspaper reports and the personal testimony of those involved, Leonov has meticulously reconstructed events surrounding the fire, the huge clean-up operation and the climate of mistrust and back-stabbing which developed amongst library staff in the wake of the disaster. These events culminated in an accusation of illegalities levelled at Leonov himself, a charge of which he has since been full exonerated.