Dr. Vasili G.Ushakov
(1865-1953)
founded the library in 1891

Head of the Library
Tatyana A. Smirnova

Address: Acad. Pavlov st., 12.  St.Petersburg, 197376, Russia

Phone: (812)234-94-78

Science Library of the Institute was founded in 1891. First 500 volumes were donated by Prince A.P.Oldenburgski, the trustee of the institute. Now the stock is about 500 000 volumes. The library holds a collection of unique editions of 16-18 centuries, ( the oldest book - published in 1538 ), a collection of theses and bibliographic reference books and information sources; a number of journals on medicine and its theoretical principles are fully presented, starting from the first volume. Some editions were donated by various organisations, Russian and foreign, some were a gift from private collections of I.P.Pavlov, I.I.Uskov, V.V.Podvysotski and other famous scientists from the institute staff.
The library contains Goldberg's collection of antique books and several letters of Louis Pasteur.

Our library is housed in a remarkable building and has a one-hundred-years history.

Here are the lists of  Russian (after 1980) and foreign (1990-2001) scientific journals, held by the library.

Internet-class of our library provides access to some electronic collections. The library possesses several databases on biology and medicine, constantly used by the scientists.

HISTORY

On June 15, 1890 the founder and trustee of the Institute prince Aleksandr Petrovich Oldenburgsky donated about 500 volumes of medical editions from his own library which laid down the foundation of the new library. In January 1891 the post of librarian was proposed to a young doctor Vasily Gavrilovich Ushakov, assistant head of the Inoculation department of the Imperial Institute of experimental medicine. Scientist by vocation, doctor by education V. G. Ushakov displayed a talent of organizer and systematizer in the library business. Having analyzed the work of the largest libraries of Petersburg, having looked through several variants of arrangement of books he has chosen the optimal system for the organization of funds of the quick-growing library of IIEM. The first entry in the inventory book of the scientific library of the Institute was on July 1, 1891. V. G. Ushakov headed the library till 1926 when he had to refuse for want of time (in 1920 he became head of the Inoculation department). While he headed the library he managed to collect about 30 000 books, published 2 issues of systemic catalogue, was delivering lectures on the hygiene of librarian business at the higher library courses. The traditions laid by him are carefully retained up to now.

In the first years of the XX century the library funds were growing rapidly due to entering all considerable medical publications including the periodicals — both Russian and foreign. In addition, the most interesting medical books were regularly bought from antiquarians. By January 1913 there appeared a valuable collection including about 25 thousand volumes which was placed in the neighborhood with the laboratories in seven intercommunicating rooms and a corridor of a wooden heated by stoves building. Every year V. G. Ushakov gave written reports to the Institute leaders, calling attention to the extremely straitened position of the library and to the necessity to secure it against fire.
However, there was no money for a new book depository.

It became possible to project a new building of the library when in 1910  S. N. Vinogradsky donated his year salary of 40000 rub. for the library building.

 THE LIBRARY FUNDS

By the 1st of January 2005 the library keeps in store 459 248 units, among them:

• Russian journals — about 100 000 units

• foreign journals — about 220 000 units ( a number of main journals in medicine and its theoretical bases are complete with the very first volume)

• book fund — about 92 000 units (although few copies, the literature on theoretical questions of biology and medicine is presented maximally completely)

• a collection of unique publications of the XVI-XVIII centuries (the oldest book was published in 1538; Tibetan, Chinese, ancient Persian books, 5 Louis Pasteur's letters)

• collection of published theses of the Medical-Military Academy and of many Russian and foreign universities

• doctorate and candidate dissertations defended at the Scientific Council of IEM

• rich collection of reference-bibliographic and informational editions

• books from personal libraries of Prince A. P. Oldenburgsky, I. P. Pavlov, S. M. Lukiyanov, I. I. Uskov, V. V. Podvysotsky, V. P. Mikhajlov, I. V. Danilov, M. V. Vojno-Yasenetsky and other scientists of the Institute

• collection of antique books from the library of doctor Goldberg.

At the present time the funds and catalogues of the library are in use of scientists not only of the Institute, but also of scientists from other institutions. At the average 8-10 thousand people attend the library during a year, 25-30 thousand units of literature are given out, and about 5 thousand bibliographic references.
The system of catalogues and card-indexes comprehensively discloses the content of the main, subsidiary and specialized funds. These alphabet, systemic catalogues, different bibliographic card-indexes and indicators help the readers to quickly find the literature needed.

As a depository the scientific library of IEM is referred to a group of libraries having unique historically established funds of great scientific and cultural value (Order of the USSR Health Ministry of 20.04.1981 N 059/37).
Since the library funds are becoming several thousands issues more every year, there was not enough space in the old house. Starting from November 2007 science library moved to the new (attached to the old one) building.

More resources - in the Russian version