On September 29, 2020, M.I. Rudomino All-Russia State Library For Foreign Literature and the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted an online international roundtable discussion ”Conservation and Restoration of Manuscript and Printed Heritage”.

The discussion was organized by the IFLA PAC Centre for the CIS and Eastern Europe hosted at the M.I. Rudomino All-Russia State Library For Foreign Literature and IFLA PAC Centre for Central Asia hosted at the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The list of participants included researchers and heads of libraries and conservation/restoration centers of the CIS countries: Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Welcoming addresses were made by Nuria Iskaliyeva, Deputy Director for Information Resources (National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan), Olga Smirnova , Head of the Center for Coordination and Support of International Activities (M.I. Rudomino All-Russia State Library For Foreign Literature), and Claire McGuire, IFLA Policy and Research Officer, IFLA PAC Coordinator.

The roundtable discussion focused upon safeguarding of manuscripts and printed heritage, activities of conservations centers and international cooperation in the field of preservation and conservation. The meeting was an opportunity for sharing knowledge and experience. The delivered presentations contained a lot of useful information. Among the meeting’s outcomes are proposals for cooperation between the libraries, including in the field of professional development of restorers.

The participants expressed their appreciation for the meeting. We hope that such meetings will become regular and will contribute to strengthening ties in the field of preservation and conservation between libraries of the CIS countries.

Find out more about IFLA’s Preservation and Conservation activities and PAC Centres here.