RUSLANet — A new generation library system project in Russia
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb045484 |
| Date | 01 April 1996 |
| Pages | 303-306 |
| Published date | 01 April 1996 |
| Author | Alexander Plemnek,Natalia Sokolova |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Focus Article
RUSLANet —
a
new generation
library system project in Russia
Alexander Plemnek and Natalia Sokolova
Open Library Systems
Centre,
Fundamental
Library,
St Petersburg State
Technical
University,
195251,
Polytechnitheskaya Street
29,
St
Petersburg,
Russia
E-mail:
plm@unilib. unilib. neva.
ru,
natalia@unilib. unilib. neva.ru
Abstract: This paper
is
about advanced library information systems in Russia.
The
urgent need is obvious in Russia for library systems based on open standards
and Internet
technology,
and for integrating library systems in common library
information
space.
The
Regional University and Science Library Advanced
Network in the north-west of Russia (RUSLANet) Project is an initiative of St
Petersburg State Technical
University,
aimed at joining the collections of
university libraries and providing access to them via the
Internet.
The paper
discusses briefly the concept of the RUSLANet
Project,
ways of implementing
it,
its position
today,
and plans for the near future.
1.
Introduction
In library management, as in many
other spheres, Russia
has
gone its own
way. Libraries hold unique collections
of books but in most cases they have
no modem information systems. For
various reasons, adapting foreign li-
brary systems hasn't had the expected
effect. It has been found that a better
way is to work out library systems for
Russia that are elements of the world-
wide library system and are transpar-
ent for all modern library engines, but
which take into account specific Rus-
sian features. There have also been a
number of attempts to develop Rus-
sian library information systems,
which can be classified as different
generations.
Library systems of the first genera-
tion were created in the 1960s and
1970s. They were oriented on main-
frame information technology and
used computers of the EC series
(clones of IBM 360/370 mainframes)
and CM series (clones of
the
PDP-11
family). Those systems took a lot of
time and money to design. They were
very expensive and not used widely.
Every system had
its
own concepts and
standards; they were not compatible
with others and with foreign ones.
Library systems of the second gen-
eration (1980s) were closely related
with the PC revolution and the fall of
the Iron Curtain, which assured a
stream of cheap IBM-compatible PCs
into Russia. As a rule those systems
used database management systems
(DBMS) of the dBase family (Clipper,
FoxPro). Unfortunately, there were
even fewer possibilities for library
sys-
tems on PCs than on mainframe sys-
tems.
They were standalone and sin-
gle-user. Until now, attempts to join
up those systems in one integrated sys-
tem have been based mainly
on
Novell
NetWare. However, these systems
don't fully meet the requirements of
modern information technology.
The next step for revolutionary
change (the 1990s) was stimulated by
the coming of the Internet to Russia
and the availability of professional
platforms (IBM, DEC, HP). New in-
formation technologies, guaranteed
investments for projects for dozens of
years ahead, have appeared.
The
possi-
bility of collaborating with foreign
colleges on joint projects has become
true.
The philosophy of open systems
greatly influences the minds of sys-
tems designers. Now the concept of
open systems and distributed comput-
ing is considered the most apt. Infor-
mation
has
begun to
be
considered
as
a
national treasure. Thus, the time for
developing new generations of sys-
tems with new qualities has arrived.
In contrast to Western library sys-
tems,
which are based on the library
systems development and technolo-
gies of 70-80 years and have had a lot
of money invested in them, there is
nothing in Russia that can act
as
an ob-
stacle to moving forward.
One of the projects for developing
library systems of the new generation
is the RUSLANet Project. Work on it
began in St Petersburg State Technical
University (the former Polytechnical
Institute), one of the best technical uni-
versities in Russia. The project started
about two years ago, owing to the in-
itiative of the Fundamental Library
and the Open Library Systems Centre
of the University.
2.
Preconditions
We suggest that the Fundamental Li-
brary of St Petersburg State Technical
University and the Open Library Sys-
tems Centre be the co-ordinating cen-
tre of the library project in the
north-west region of Russia. They
have the following preconditions for
this role:
• highly qualified specialists —
developers of information
systems at the regional level
(http://www.unilib.neva.ru/olsc/
home.html),
and campus and city
The Electronic Library, Vol. 14, No. 4, August 1996 303
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