In this commentary, the author stresses that reading habits in Russia have changed since the Soviet era, and the more intellectual journals and magazines in particular have lost their importance. Audiences for books and magazines have fragmented, and there are fewer sources of commonly shared information and ideas than was true a few decades ago.…

Publishing in the Sami languages has always been difficult. The Sami are currently spread across four countries, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. There are nine different Sami languages, some of them with only a few speakers. The Sami publishing industry is entirely dependent on government funding as it does not have its own funds nor is there…

In the mid-1990s, situations in which the specialties that young people had acquired turned out not to be in demand became quite a widespread phenomenon, and the professional future of a large proportion of young people was characterized as uncertain. Surveys in that period showed that a majority of young people suffered from a deficiency of…

Examines the effects of the political events of the last decade on Russian libraries. Topics include libraries in the old Soviet Union, decentralization of control and financing, relaxation of censorship, changes in the Russian publishing industry, channels of distribution, and future needs. (LRW)

Discusses past influences on Russia's libraries, examines current improvements in the Russian library situation, and considers prospects for the future. Highlights include the publishing industry; government economic problems; financial support from trade unions; outdated materials; dissatisfied users; and censorship under past regimes. (LRW)