Literary critic, teacher, museum and library worker, and member of many scientific societies, Alexander Fomin (1868-1929) left a notable mark in the history of Russian culture. Thanks to him, the archive of the Turgenev-Simbirsk family was returned from France to Russia, a unique collection of cultural material about the island's Swedes was collected, and the first archaeological expeditions to the territory of the Genoese Fortress in Sudak, Crimea, were organised. However, many facts about the biography of Alexander Fomin are still unknown. His role in the creation of libraries—the Stroganov School of Industrial Art, commercial schools in different cities of Russia, the Kostroma State University, the State Theatre Library at the Maly Theatre (now RSAL)—has not been sufficiently studied. Among his contemporaries are prominent cultural figures of Russia from the 19th – 20th century, many of whom he drew to work in his library.

The conference consists of two one-day themes.

Day One

"Alexander Alexandrovich Fomin: Personality and Fate Against the Backdrop of 20th Century Culture"

Topics for discussion:

• New documents and materials on Alexander A. Fomin and members of his family (Fomin, Bodaninsky, Lvov, Zhurakovsky).

• Contemporaries and colleagues of Alexander A. Fomin, and their contribution to:

- the preservation and study of the cultural heritage of Russia at the end of the 19th – early 20th centuries

- the development of the library and museum in the 19th – 20th century

- the formation of higher art and theatre education in the early years of Soviet power

Day Two

"Collections of Theatre Books"

Topics for discussion:

• History of theatre libraries and collections.

• Collections of theatre books in libraries, museums, and archives.

The conference will be held on 4-5 October 2018, in the Readers Museum of RSAL at: 8/1 Bolshaya Dmitrovka Ulitsa.

Speeches may be no longer than 20 minutes.

Applications will be accepted until 1 September 2018. Please register on RSAL’s website.

The Organising Committee reserves the right to select reports.

Following the conference, a collection of materials will be published.

Travel expenses (travel, accommodation, meals, etc.) are at the expense of the sending party.

Contacts: tel .: +7 (495) 692-3508; (495) 692-0653; izo@liart.ru ; bisk@liart.ru

Coordinators:

Tatiana Mordkovich,

tuttybet@mail.ru

Elena Haplanova,

ehaplanova@gmail.com