Opening VRRs RSL in Hungary

Within the framework of the "Russian Centre" project, 8 and 9 December 2015 the Russian State Library and the "Russky Mir" foundation held the ceremonies of opening Virtual Reading Rooms of the Russian State Library (VRRs RSL) in the cities of Budapest and Pécs (Hungary).

8 December 2015, the ceremony took place at the Russian Centre of the Eotvos Lorand University (Budapest), which is a largest university of Hungary counting its history from the 17^th century.

From the Eotvos Lorand University, the guests were greeted by professor Csaba Borsodi, vice-dean for general affairs of the History and Philology Department of the university.

Handing a "VRR RSL" plaque for the library of Eotvos Lorand University (Budapest)

Among the guests of the importance, the ceremony was attended by professor Tamas Krausz, doctor of History, head of the Centre for Russian Studies of the university; doctor Zsuzsanna Gyimesi, candidate of Philology, head of the Russian Centre under the university (in Budapest); Sergey Ulitin, the official of the "Russky Mir" foundation, and delegates from the Russian State Library - Ms Nina Avdeeva, head of the Administrative department of management and monitoring service for clients, and Ms Tatyana Blinova, head of the Department of prospective development of the RSL. There were also present teachers and students of the Eotvos Lorand University.

Nina Avdeeva spoke on the RSL cooperation with the "Russky Mir" foundation. She had also prepared presentation "Digital resources of the Russian State Library" which was eagerly received.

left to right: Sergey Ulitin, Tatyana Blinova, Nina Avdeeva, doctor Zsuzsanna Gyimesi and doctor Gabor Diyeni

The event coming to an end, doctor Gabor Diyeni who was a graduate of the Ural Federal University present at the ceremony, tested the capabilities of the VRR RSL launched by making a request to the RSL collections. And he managed to discover his candidate's thesis in History as a result!

9 December 2015, the ceremony of opening a VRR RSL was held at the Russian Centre of the University of Pécs. The university had been founded on the basis of the first public library of Hungary counting its history from the year of 1367. The event was conducted by head of the Russian Centre, candidate of Pedagogy Végvári Valentyina and by Carolina Siuch - Russnak, methodologist of the Russian Centre.

Launching a VRR RSL at the Russian Centre of the University of Pécs

Professor Ferenc Fischer was the first to greet the audience. From the "Russky Mir" foundation there spoke chief manager of the Department of Russian centres and event organization Sergey Ulitin.

Head of the Russian Centre Valentyina Végvári and professor Ferenc Fischer

Nina Avdeeva demonstrated her presentation about the electronic resources of the Russian Stat Library. Her speech was masterfully interpreted into Hungarian by the director of the Institute of Slavic Studies doctor Robert Wolosz.

Among other guests of importance, the ceremony was attended by Markó Tamás, deputy IT director of the Central Library of Pécs, together with teachers, lecturers and students of the university.

The RSL officials, the representative of the "Russky Mir" foundation and head of the Russian Centre of the Pécs University Valentyina Végvári visited the new building of the Central Library of Pécs which had been opened for readers since the year of 2010.

On the premises of the library there took place discussion with Szellõné Fábián Mária, deputy director of the library in general matters, Tamás Markó, IT director, and Ágnes Fekete, head of the Department of reader service. Ms Fekete organized an excursion around the library after that. She demonstrated spacious and comfortable reading rooms, she also showed auxiliary rooms of the library. An object of a particular attention turned out to be kids reading room. Another interesting point was reader’s self – service zone for scanning and copying.

Szellõné Fábián Mária, Ágnes Fekete, Tamás Markó, Nina Avdeeva, Tatyana Blinova, Segey Ulitin and Valentyina Végvári

The representatives of the Russian delegation thanked their hosts heartily for a warm meeting and handed them "VRR RSL" plaques. The general hope of all the participants of the both ceremonies was that reader's access to the Digital Dissertation Library of the Russian State Library at the Russian Centres would contribute to broadening and strengthening collaboration of the scientists of our nations. It was also likely to encourage further studying of the Russian language and science among the young people of the both places. Heads of the Russian Centres presented the Russian State Library their gift editions from the collections of their university libraries.