Date: 03.10.2014
On October 1-3, 2014 Russian State Art Library together with Saratov Regional Universal Scientific Library jointly held an interregional seminar “Topical issues of acquiring and using collections of postcards by regional libraries”. The seminar was attended by many of our fellows – the colleagues from the libraries of Saratov and Saratov Region, specialists from the Zonal Scientific Library at the Saratov State University named after N.G. Chernyshevsky, representatives of Astrakhan Regional Scientific Library, students and teachers from the Saratov Art College.
The interest in postcards and their high popularity as a form of print publication has been increasing recently due to their ability to serve as a source of both visual and written information.
Libraries conduct a great activity aimed to form the collections of postcards although it still requires more work as there is no unified approach yet, not enough scientific, informational, methodological and organizational supply for the libraries in that field. Currently there have been a lot of speeches and reports in professionally oriented literature and at various conferences, basically dedicated to the history of forming specialized collections of art materials. However together with the increase in the informational support there has appeared the necessity to provide individual consultations for the staff of the libraries that have specialized collections.
Our Library pays much attention to the problem of working with art materials including postcards as well. Since 2004 we launched a series of seminars on the subject of working with collections of art materials including all possible aspects. We covered a wide range of questions – starting from the history of formation to the usage of collections (acquisition, description, attribution, etc.). In 2009 we prepared methodological recommendations for completing the bibliographic description of sheet art material using RUSMARC formats.
During the seminar in Saratov the specialists from our Library paid special attention to the recommendations to the libraries and departments that only started to form their collections of postcards. The reports of the speakers provoked sincere interest among the attendees which lead to many follow-up questions on the subjects of the reports.
Experience has proven that the major issue of working with postcard collections is acquisition and bibliographic description. The participants of the seminar tried to answer the questions connected with the issue: How is the postcards description systemized? What are the peculiarities of storage and accountancy? What stories lie beneath those open letters kept in libraries?
Lyudmila Kanushina, Director of Saratov Regional Universal Scientific Library, noted the high level of quality of reports presented at the seminar, which to a large extent was due to active participation of the specialists from the library of federal importance, Saratov Regional Museum of Local History and also the support of the researchers and postcards collectors.
The seminar revealed that the subject of postcard as a historical document is extremely topical and diverse and requires further development in all possible aspects, starting from acquisition to the use in exhibition activity.
The exhibition “The World of Moscow Theater. Russian Theater Postcard of the beginning of the 20th century” coincided with the seminar and helped the audience get acquainted with a small part of the unique collection of our Library’s Iconography Complex Department. The exposition included digital copies of postcards with photos of famous Russian actors, scenes from popular plays staged in Moscow theaters in the beginning of the 20th century and also with photographical images of Imperial Bolshoi and Maly Theaters, The Moscow Art Theater, The Chamber Theater, F. Korsh Theater, etc. Due to the interesting subject, well-elaborated material selection and professionally designed exterior the exhibition was highly estimated by the visitors.
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Barketov, Deputy Minister of Culture of Saratov Region during his speech at the opening of the exhibition pointed up the importance of such kind of events because exposition work should make visible the unique collections stored in libraries. Ada Kolganova, the Director of Russian State Art Library, emphasized the importance of the fact that visitors received the opportunity to learn more about the collection of art materials and documents of RSAL. She also noted the significance and relevance of informational exchange between libraries: “We are developing partner (intermuseum and interlibrary) relations. This helps establish new professional contacts and master new forms of library management”.
To finalize the seminar organizers showed a documentary cartoon “Greetings from Moscow” by NETSKI Studio of Savva Kulish. The creative approach of the Studio in using postcards as a means of decoration in the cartoon demonstrated that the opportunities of exposing and publishing such art materials are much wider than we could imagine.
Practical part of the seminar included not only reports, presentations and discussions of practical issues connected with the activity of libraries but also experience exchange through various librarian meetings. Ada Kolganova visited the Zonal Scientific Library at the Saratov State University where she got acquainted with the collections of Rare Publications and Manuscripts Department. Ada Aronovna and Irina Vladimirovna Lebedeva, Director of Scientific Library, discussed a range of professional questions including the use of library collections for education purposes and work with printed heritage in regions.
The participants of the seminar hoped that the Russian State Art Library continued its work in that field in order to unite the postcard specialists and give way not only to exchange opinions but also to elaborate relevant scientific and methodological questions related to research and description of that kind of published art material.
We have a lot of intense and interesting work to do, the work that would help postcards to take their place of honor among the scientific sources of information on history and culture and numerous museum and library collections of postcards become available in full to everyone.
We are absolutely convinced that participation in our seminars of professionals working with art materials would always be extremely useful in order to create the atmosphere of artistic and constructive cooperation which would provide a more complete idea of presented information and more adequate decisions. Experience exchange plus harmony of interests would help saving valuable collections and create integrated catalogues in order to get an objective overview of the cultural heritage of the country.
