Libraries may collapse in a decade: Russia Cultural Minister

Libraries in Russia may collapse by 2020, Russia`s Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeev has said.

Moscow: Libraries in Russia may
collapse by 2020, Russia`s Minister of Culture Alexander
Avdeev has said.

"The editions printed back in the Soviet era will be worn
out by then, and newly published books are unaffordable. The
average price of a new book is about 300 roubles now,"
Avdeev said at the State Duma`s `governmental hour`
question-and-answer session yesterday.
"The use of electronic catalogues" may be a way out, the
minister said. They may well be used in villages or small
towns where there are no big libraries. He explained that a
modern electronic book of the A4 format may incorporate 5,000
printed books.

"Modern reader gadgets have comfortable built-in reading
lights, and show pictures in colours," Avdeev said. "The
younger generation is using them, and this tendency must not
be ignored."
At the same time he agreed with those who oppose
electronic books, saying "I agree with them in many aspects,
but realistically we cannot do without electronic forms."

The minister paid much attention to specialized libraries
for children. Children are reading far less nowadays, he said.

PTI

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