ACTUAL STATISTICS
On the eve of the 225th anniversary of birthday of the great poet the authors have analysed the publishers repertory of works by A.S. Pushkin for 2017—2022. This bibliological survey is based on the statistics of printing fulfilled by the information complex «Russian Book Chamber» in the structure of the Russian State Library. The article presents information about the very different aspects and concrete figures. They characterize the typology of editions, the number of published titles of poetical and prosaic works by A.S. Pushkin and their print runs as well as the publishers-leaders and all others (totally, their number is 129) from Moscow, Saint-Petersburg and different regions (totally the number of Russian cities is 56). The total amount of titles — nearly 850 and their total print run — 4,4 million copies. The publishers-leaders are «Eksmo», «AST», «Azbuka», «Rosmen». The authors also analyse the reader’s address and aim purpose, the special features of the composition and book design for works by A.S. Pushkin with imprints of the leading Russian publishers. All of these makes it possible to classify abovesaid book production into groups by different age of readers and to highlight the unusual editions from the point of view their quality of editorship and colourness of their art design. Such information is always needed for librarians and bibliophiles. Before jubilee of the poet it is especially useful and actual because it gives an initial basis for comparison with expected rising of publishing activity during preparation for this event and its celebration in Russia and abroad.
STANDARD DOCUMENTS: COMMENTS AND EXPLANATIONS
The article presents the detailed comments of the standard developer and the text of the SIBID national standard – GOST R 7.0.80–2023 “Bibliographic record. Heading. General requirements and rules” which puts into action from August 1, 2023. This standard brings about a change in the structure and composition of bibliographic record heading thus enabling to actualize and unify the method of its compiliation for all kinds of information resources. The GOST is intended for use by centers of the national (state) bibliography, libraries, publishers, information services and other organizations and structures dealing with the bibliographic activities. In this GOST in comparison with its predecessor of 2000 a number of new clauses is introduced, as well as the volume of information is broadened about identifying features, punctuation requirements and fully renewed album of specific examples. The rules for presentation of names of secular leaders and ecclesiastics of different confessions are fully shown because they often cause difficulties for a bibliographer. The given document should improve the searching efficiency and velocity of bibliographic information exchange.
FROM PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE
The article considers the activities of a team of teachers and students of the Library Department of the Kurgan Regional College of Culture in creating of retrospective bibliographic indexes reflecting publications of different kinds (including for nowadays electronic ones) about this educational institution. The author shows the developing of different approaches to the selection and presentation of bibliographic data for two decades. During this period 3 issues of this manual have been published: “Kurgan Regional Specialized School (1956—1996). Documents and Facts” (2000), “Kurgan Regional Specialized School of Culture (1996—2001). Documents and Facts” (2001), “Kurgan Regional College of Culture (2002—2020). Documents and Facts” (2021). The importance of local history, factual and biographic information contained in these book editions is specially underlined.
PAGES OF HISTORY
The high priority of studying the library collections and reading circle of frontier guards is stipulated by the important role that libraries play in organization leisure time for this category of military servicemen, whose service often takes place in so called “bear corners”, outside of civilization. In connection with the absence of publications on the history of Officer’s Library of the Staff of Trans-Amur Military District of the Separate Corps of Frontier Guards the presented article for the first time gives careful consideration its collection, acquisition of books and periodicals for different departments and underdepartments by January 1, 1911. The results obtained show that the catalog in a bibliographic sense has been prepared professionally. The book collection of the library contributed to the professional development of guards and solution of their official tasks, as well as to the organization of cultural leisure activities. The owner of the catalog served as the base for an analysis of this collection is clearly defined. The editions prepared by the Staff of the District and later presented in the book catalog are specially identified. The fulfilled investigation broadens and advances the understanding of this library, its collection specific features and also of publishing activities of the Staff of District and its participation in book holdings acquisition.
E.I. Molokhovets is the author of one of the most popular cookery books of the 2nd half of the 19th — early 20th century “Gift for young housewives”, which went through 29 editions. This book is still being reprinted with the same success among modern readers despite the fact that even during the life of the author, it was subjected to partly fair criticism for some “elitism” of the recipes presented. Not everyone knows nowadays her other, more modest, cooking book “A Simple, Public Cooking”, the first edition of which was published in 1884. This is book in the article. “A Simple, Public Cooking” is a collection of recipes that fully lives up to its title. The recipes for all the dishes presented in the collection are very simple both in terms of the composition of the necessary products and the methods of their preparation, which makes this book relevant for modern culinary lovers. The article provides a detailed comparative analysis of different editions of the collection published during the life of E.I. Molokhovets (in total, six editions were published from 1884 to 1911), and also examines its publishing fate in the Soviet and post-Soviet times.
OVER BOUNDARIES
The article deals with the styling of bibliographical data in the English-Speaking world, mainly with the rules of the ISBD and of the Chicago Manual of Style. Special attention is paid to the styling of bibliographic references in scholarly papers and of bibliographic indices. The author comes to the conclusion that the conceptual framework of Anglo-American bibliographic standards and styles is quite different from their Russian equivalents, including a wide variety of citation styles instead of a single standard, styling bibliographic references according to the common rules of English punctuation and typography, providing full names instead of surname and initials etc. The English bibliographic terminology is also quite different from the Russian one; for example, the meaning of the term “bibliographic reference” in English is wider than in Russian. As a consequence, bibliographic lists and bibliographic indices in English are usually styled according to the same rules as those used in bibliographic references, in sharp contrast to the Russian practice.
SURVEYS AND CRITICAL REVIEWS
The critical review of the recently published in Russia translated monography by the well known American historian of book Robert Darnton “Literary Tour de France: The World of Books on the Eve of the French Revolution” is presented. On the base of archive of the Typographic Society of Newshatel this author and researcher reconstructed the functional system of the French book market in the second half of 18th century. He observed the participation in bringing books to reader of publishers, trade representatives, transport carriers, smugglers, booksellers. Book trade documents allowed him to present the list of booksellers — the most popular books among the readers — during the period preceding the Great French Revolution. The importance of source study techniques and methodological approaches used by Robert Darnton for research in the sphere of book history of different countries and historical periods is noted.
The article presents the review of the monograph “Essays on the development of bibliographic activity of the Russian State Library” released by the publishing house “Pashkov Dom” in 2022. The monograph is the first experience of a complex analysis of the history of one of the most important activities of the national library. The new generalizing work was prepared by a team of 18 authors, represented by specialists from the Scientific Research Department of Bibliography, as well as other departments of the Russian State Library (RSL). Disclosed is the structure and content of the monograph consisting of 13 sections-essays. They highlight the stages in the development of the bibliographic activity of the RSL from 1862 to the present day. The issues of organization of bibliographic work, development of reference and bibliographic fund, bibliographic and reference service, preparation of bibliographic publications, research and scientific-methodological activities in the field of bibliography are considered. It is concluded that the publication of the book is an important milestone not only in the study of the history of the RSL, but also in the development of Russian historical and bibliographic knowledge in general.
The critical review of the album “The Book World of Alexandre Benoit: Sketches of a Researcher and a Collector” (Moscow, 2023) by well-known bibliophile, academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, the leader/chairman of Council of the National Union of Bibliophiles M.V. Seslavinsky is presented. The review reveals the aims and purposes of popularizing of various artistic career and activities of A. Benoit in the book sphere, undertaken in the album. It is shown that this edition in many senses fells out the scope of the scientific and popular type declared by the compilator and represents full-fledged scientific research of the history of book design on the example of A. Benoit. The high rating is given both to the editorial and publisher’s presentation and artistic book design of this edition.
CHRONICLE
This article tells about the activities of the Section on bibliography and information service of the Russian Library Association and about the main information content of the 15 reports at the meeting of this section within the framework of the All-Russian Library Congress in Murmansk (June 14, 2023). Special attention is given to the science works out in the sphere of bibliography, including new standards and typology of the bibliographic products.