Availability of Library Services in the Russian Federation: Monitoring Results of the National Library of Russia

The article presents an analysis of statistical data of the National Library of Russia (NLR) monitoring, characterizing the availability of library services in the Russian Federation. It names factors influencing the accessibility of library services: a developed network of out-of-station and mobile service points, provision of transport vehicles, optimal operating hours of libraries, accessibility of library premises (accessible environment) for people with disabilities (HH) and inclusive library space, developed digital library infrastructure providing services to readers remotely. Since the huge volume of statistical data makes it impossible to consider all aspects of the accessibility of Russian libraries within the framework of the article, its objective is to give a comparative analysis of some of them (coverage of the population of the Russian Federation with library services, the number of people per a public library, distribution of non-stationary service points across Russian regions, provision networks of public libraries by transport, operating hours of library institutions and reduced work schedules of specialists and their variations in frames of the RF subjects). The work states that the availability of library services to the population is a condition for ensuring the quality of the population life. The problems of accessibility of Russian library services could be solved by modernizing the network of municipal libraries, improving the transport and digital infrastructure and organizing the comfortable library space to all categories of citizens. The materials can be used by regional departments of culture when planning the modernization of library institutions’ network.