Catalogues and card files in the Plekhanov House
A Short Annotated Guide
The system of catalogues and card files in The Plekhanov House, integrated in the National Library's reference and information system, comprises the totality of organized, interconnected and complementary catalogues and card files primarily designed with a view to the most correct and complete possible description of Plekhanov House holdings and information on G. V. Plekhanov's life and work. Catalogues and card files in The Plekhanov House are briefly described in the annotated guide "Catalogues and Card Files of M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin State Public Library" (L., 1987. P. 53-54). These are:
- alphabetical catalogue of books in G. V. Plekhanov's private library for the Staff
- Readers' alphabetical catalogue of manuscript holdings in Plekhanov House
- Readers' alphabetical catalogue of books in The Plekhanov House auxiliary collection
- chronological card file for G. V. Plekhanov's manuscript collection (correspondence)
The guide contains information on catalogues and card files for published material (books, periodicals and serials, items deposited as manuscript, etc.). They involve:
- G. V. Plekhanov's private library
- books from private libraries of his wife and associates
- auxiliary library for enhanced search and support of user- and staff research
- information on various publications and materials related to Plekhanov's life and work.
G. V. Plekhanov collected his library in the last decades of the 19th and early 20th century, while in emigration, which explains in particular the prevalent foreign language publications. Books and periodicals came to Plekhanov's library in various ways: by purchasing; sent by editors or publishers to support commissioned work, or to be read and reviewed; presented by authors, editors, translators and friends.
Purchase constituted the primary acquisition source for Plekhanov's library. Russian domestic publications were difficult to obtain in emigration, so Plekhanov's letters to friends, party comrades or editorial boards were dominated by requests for one publication or another. Particularly significant assistance in terms of new acquisitions was provided at different times by P. B. Axelrod, I. I. Axelrod and the editors of the "Mir" press. Another contributor was V. I. Lenin with whom Plekhanov exchanged books when both acted on "Iskra" and "Zaria" editorial board. Some library copies bearing inscriptions or stamps "For review", "For review to G. V. Plekhanov" etc., were sent by editorial boards or publishers. A small but interesting segment involves book gifts from authors, translators or friends including notable politicians, workers of science and culture both in Russia and elsewhere.
The subject coverage reflects the owner's scholarly and political interests with books and periodicals in a range of disciplines but mainly in humanities. The library contains 8,325 items of storage, including 6,436 volumes of books and 1889 bound or separate periodicals.
The fingerprints are of tremendous value, indicating Plekhanov's creative techniques and supplementing material in his archives. Some are extracts or brief comments made by Plekhanov in notebooks or writing-pads and then used in his works; others unaccomplished schemes only, confirming the significance of G. V. Plekhanov's private library as an exceptionally rich and interesting though yet little studied and used source.
The Plekhanov House auxiliary library, despite modest numeric and subject content, is of great interest for certain reader categories. Some publications date back to mid-19th century, others to the Revolution and Civil War in Russia, while publications of the White diaspore are now bibliographic rarities. Some are the only available copies in Russia today. There is an interesting selection of 1920s and 1930s periodicals. Readers will benefit from a file of reprints and press-cuttings referring to G. V. Plekhanov and certain materials missing in the Public Library, mainly of foreign origin. Some of the items are deposited in The Plekhanov House as manuscript subjects.
Studies in G. V. Plekhanov's Library and auxiliary collection revealed books and periodicals previously held by members of The Plekhanovs, family, Leo G. Deutch and Vera I. Zassulich, also showing interesting fingerprints and other features.
Early developments in the catalogues and card files coincided with collection analysis starting from the notes made by Rosalie M. Plekhanova in the 1920s when classifying her husband's archives and library. The Plekhanov House cataloguing plan was detailed in 1929 and 1930. Subsequent efforts involved catalogues and card files for the private library and a bibliography of G. V. Plekhanov life and work, as well as analysis and cataloguing in the auxiliary library. This has been ongoing work with primary emphasis on updating The Plekhanoviana card file system, and a card file of his published work.
The integrated catalogues and card files in Plekhanov House represent aspects of G. V. Plekhanov's life and work. They provide answers to questions like who wrote what about G. V. Plekhanov and when, which of his works were published and when, which of the publications were issued in several subsequent editions, what was the range of his contacts and interests, etc. Special mention should be made of organizational and structural features of this information and reference system. For the first, there is no clear functional differentiation between Reader- and Staff's facilities. User-oriented information requirements involve both content and organization, as well as relevant auxiliary material, additional record formats, annotations etc.
Catalogues and card files in The Plekhanov House are not differentiated by publication types: books, collected papers, periodicals and serials, reproductions, reprints, manuscript deposits etc., which should be born in mind when formulating user requests. No qualitative analytical data or advisory annotations are involved. Some cases combine alphabetical, classed and subject catalogues.
Cabinets for catalogues and card files are labeled accordingly; each catalogue tray bears a label or header with brief subject description. Enhanced retrieval is provided with relevant sub-headers within each tray. At present The Plekhanov House is developing an integrated data bank of machine-readable formats.
Each catalogue or card file is presented here in the following unified form:
- name,
- rules of use,
- starting date,
- chronological coverage,
- size,
- content (publications covered),
- organization,
- additional catalogue/card file specified information,
- reference to auxiliary material
1. Catalogue of G. V. Plekhanov Library:
In 4 vol. /MK RSFSR; GPB M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin. - L., 1965. Vol. 1 - 4.
Public access in the Reading room.
Compiled in 1961 - 1964.
Chronological coverage: mid-19th c. to 1918.
Size - 6313 titles of books, periodicals and serials.
Bibliographic records in Russian and foreign European languages.
Records for books organized by class, within each class in alphabetical order.
Works of K. Marx, F. Engels, V. I. Lenin and G. V. Plekhanov in a separate introductory list and not repeated in classified sections.
Bibliographic records for periodicals and serials are arranged alphabetically.
Special symbols for copy characteristics like fingerprints of Plekhanov and other persons, presentation texts, institutional stamps etc.
Aux.: two indexes - personal names and titles/publishers/series etc.
2. Alphabetical Catalogue of Books and Periodicals in G. V. Plekhanov Private Library.
Readers' requests handled by Staff member on duty.
Started in 1930.
Chronological coverage: mid-19th c. (with a few earlier publications) to 1918.
Size - 7600 cards.
More complete than the printed Catalogue, including additions to the Private Library after 1965 (via systematic search for publications formerly in G. V. Plekhanov's possession, recovery from special safeguard stocks etc.).
Aux.:
- Alphabetical card file for periodicals
- Personalia (index of names quoted in books in the private library)
- Card file for portraits in the books
- Chronological card file of G. V. Plekhanov's works in the private library
- By subject - thematic index of G. V. Plekhanov's notes in books in his private library.
3. Alphabetical Catalogue of Books and Periodicals from Private Libraries of Rosalie M., Lydia G., and Claudia V. Plekhanov, Gregorii A. Alexinskii, Leo G. Deutch and Vera I. Zassulich.
Readers' requests handled by staff member on duty.
Established in 1990.
Chronological coverage: mid-19th c. (with a few earlier publications) to 1930s.
Size - 372 cards.
Bibliographic records in Russian and foreign European languages, classified by owner's name, and within each class alphabetically by author and title.
Copy information included.
Aux.:
- Aplhabetical card file for periodicals.
- Card file for authographed books.
4. Alphabetical Catalogue of Books and Periodicals in Plekhanov House Auxiliary Collection.
In public access at the entrance to the Reading room.
Started in 1960.
Chronological coverage: since late 19th c.
Size: app. 7800 cards.
Continuously updated with bibliographic records for new acquisitions.
Bibliographic records for books, periodicals, journal articles, reprints, reproductions, press-cuttings, materials deposited as manuscript in the auxiliary collection, in Russian and foreign languages.
Organized alphabetically by author and title in the four sections:
- The Russian language,
- The former USSR national languages,
- Bulgarian,
- Foreign (European) languages.
Aux.:
- Card file for autographed copies.
- Card file for exhibitions in the reading room.
5. Subject/Class Catalogue of Books and Periodicals in The Plekhanov House Auxiliary Collection.
In public access at the entrance to the Reading room.
Started in 1990.
Chronological coverage: since late 19th c.
Size: app. 7800 cards.
Continuously updated with bibliographic records for new acquisitions.
Bibliographic records for books, periodicals, journal articles, reprints, reproductions, press-cuttings, material deposited as manuscript in the auxiliary collection, in Russian and foreign languages.
Organized in four sections:
- Subject card file Personalia for literature on the life and work of individual persons (government, political, public figures, authors etc.). Bibliographic records classified by subject, including family and first names, patronymic, and dates of life for each of the persons represented in individual publications. Sub-headings added where needed.
- Subject card file "Political Parties and Organizations in Russia" with bibliographic records classified by subject, including parties, political movements, groups etc.
- Catalogue of periodicals in Russian and foreign languages. Bibliographic records organized alphabetically by title. Records for each individual publication followed with records for literature on this particular publication arranged alphabetically by author and title.
- Class catalogue. Adapting the BBK classification system to the specific requirements of The Plekhanov House auxiliary collection.
Aux.: Alphabetical/Subject Index.
6. The Plekhanoviana Card File.
Reader's requests handled by staff member on duty.
Information on all currently available publications related to G. V. Plekhanov's life and work or relevant information.
In two parts: alphabetical and chronological.
6. 1.Alphabetical card file The Plekhanoviana.
Established in 1932.
Chronological coverage: since the late 19th c.
Size: app. 15,000 cards.
Updating: continuous and retrospective involving systematic bibliographic search.
Bibliographic records for books, collected papers, periodicals and serials, materials deposited as manuscript, related to G. V. Plekhanov's life and work in Russian and foreign languages.
Organized alphabetically by author and title in the five sections:
Brief thematic annotations supplemented where needed.
Aux.:
- 6.1.1. Alphabetical card file for dissertations and author abstracts.
- 6.1.2. Card file for materials on the history of Plekhanov House.
- 6.1.3. Card file for addresses associated with G. V. Plekhanov's life and work (ongoing).
- 6.1.4. Card file for the "History of research in G. V. Plekhanov's life and wo rk".
6.2. Chronological card file The Plekhanoviana.
Established in 1991.
Chronological coverage: since late 19th c.
Size: app. 7,000 cards.
Updated in line with alphabetical card file.
Based on bibliographic records in alphabetical The Plekhanoviana.
Bibliographic records arranged in direct publication chronology, within each year alphabetically by author and title.
7. Card File for the Published Works of G. V. Plekhanov.
Readers' requests handled by staff member on duty.
Established in 1992.
Chronological coverage: since 1876.
Size - app. 5,000 cards.
Continuously updated via bibliographic search for all currently available published works of G. V. Plekhanov.
Bibliographic records for all currently available published works of G. V. Plekhanov in Russian and foreign languages.
Organized in ten sections:
- collected works,
- selected works,
- various collected works (collected works of G. V. Plekhanov and other collected works including works of G. V. Plekhanov), alphabetically by title,
- separate publications, alphabetically by title, including those in collected works, various collected works, etc. in Russian and foreign languages,
- correspondence, alphabetically by addressee,
- answers to questionnaires, interviews, classified by responsible organizations, periodicals and editorial boards, etc .
- speeches and public addresses in reverse chronology,
- prefaces, alphabetically by author and title of corresponding books or articles,
- reviews, alphabetically by reviewed author and title,
- translations made by Plekhanov, alphabetically by author and title of translated works,
- works edited by Plekhanov, alphabetically by author and title.
Reverse chronology within each section and individual title.
This card file derives from the "Bibliography of Works and Letters of G. V. Plekhanov. A Guide." in four parts, compiled by members of Plekhanov House staff E. S. Kots, T. Z. Lukashevskaia, A. S. Volina in 1930.
Aux.: Card file for pen names used by G. V. Plekhanov.
