August M
Authorities in Russia are stepping up efforts to reshape public library collections, with officials citing new legal requirements. The move comes amid broader cultural restrictions introduced in recent years.
Local officials say the changes are already affecting large portions of library holdings.
Books withdrawn
According to Digi24.ro, libraries in Yekaterinburg have begun removing titles acquired in the 1990s, with officials estimating that around 30 percent of those collections could be taken off shelves.
Irina Cheremisina, head of the city’s municipal library network, said the decision is tied to updated regulations.
” We are now facing changes in the legislation. We have to withdraw some of the books from the collection because they were purchased with money from Soros,” she told the city Duma.
She added that similar measures are expected in other regions, where institutions are preparing to “clean up” their collections.
Funding shortages
At the same meeting, concerns were raised about the impact on already strained library resources.
Elena Sokolova, acting director of Yekaterinburg’s Department of Culture, said there is currently a shortage of books, while funding remains insufficient to replace those being removed.
This creates a gap in access as older materials are withdrawn without immediate replacements.
Soros legacy
Digi24.ro notes that billionaire George Soros supported educational initiatives in Russia from the late 1980s through organizations such as “Open Society” and “Sodeistvie.”
These programs funded textbooks, internet infrastructure, and academic support. However, in 2015, Russian authorities designated the foundation as an “undesirable” organization, alleging it undermined the constitutional order. Its activities in the country ended in 2023.
Expanding restrictions
Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, informal lists of prohibited books have circulated among libraries, according to Digi24.ro.
These lists often included authors critical of the war or labeled as “foreign agents,” such as Dmitry Bykov and Boris Akunin.
Subsequent legislation, including laws targeting “LGBT propaganda” and later drug-related content, further broadened the number of titles subject to removal, affecting both Russian and international writers.
Sources: Digi24.ro
