Novosibirsk is Russia's Library Capital-2004. The city boasts a developed network of libraries. It has 89 libraries with 430,000 readers annually, 50 literature clubs and associations, the municipal center of national literature, etc. The State Public Scientific-technical Library of the Siberian department of the Russian Academy of Sciences marks the 75th anniversary in 2004.
The integration of Russian libraries into international library space and inclusion into international electronic catalogues is a key issue of the conference.
The Siberian Fair exhibition center hosts the 12th annual Siberian Books exposition. It features books from all over Russia: voluminous encyclopedias and miniature books, electronic and audio editions, unique illustrated books for the blind, etc.
The book "Voyage to Siberia" by French astronomer and traveler, abbot Jean Chappe d'Auteroche (1722-1769) published in 1768 in Paris was presented at the exposition.
Russian Empress Catherine II (1729-1796) prohibited publishing this book in Russia because of critical remarks on our country. The book was never translated into the Russian language. Russian libraries have only three copies of "Voyage to Siberia". A film about this unique book costing over 500,000 rubles ($1 = 29 rubles) is shown at the exposition.
