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20/05/2026. Yekaterinburg – the library capital of Russia – 2026
The All-Russian Library Congress – the 30th Annual Conference of the Russian Library Association – opened in Yekaterinburg. The grand opening brought together professionals from dozens of Russian regions, as well as guests from India, North Korea, and the CIS countries.
Olga Lyubimova, Minister of Culture of Russia, delivered a video address. She emphasized the contribution of librarians to preserving intellectual and creative heritage, helping people access cultural treasures, and fostering respect for traditions. Vadim Duda, President of the Russian Library Association and Director General of the Russian State Library, stated that the congress will result in recommendations for the Ministry of Culture and the Russian Government aimed at strengthening cooperation and developing the industry.
The honorary badge "Yekaterinburg – Library Capital – 2026" was also presented at the opening ceremony. The award was accepted on behalf of the region by Tatyana Savinova, Deputy Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region and Minister of Health of the Sverdlovsk Region.
Alexander Samarin and Nadezhda Rozhkova, Vice Presidents of the Russian Library Association, presented Vadim Duda's report. At the plenary session, honorary badges of the representative offices of the Russian Library Association were presented to the heads of regional branches. Evgenia Guseva, Executive Director of the Russian Library Association, and Aigul Amineva, Director of the A.-Z. Validi National Library of the Republic of Bashkortostan, signed an agreement establishing a regional branch of the Russian Library Association in the Republic of Bashkortostan.
Marina Nikishina, Director of the National Library of Karelia, is participating in the congress. The first special events took place on May 18, and the country's librarians were seeking answers to the most pressing questions posed to society by the times.