Provincial Public Libraries and the Law in Nicholas I's Russia

Abstract In the 1830s the Russian government established public libraries in its provinces. By exploring the ways different groups, such as the noble and merchant estates, bureaucrats and members of the intelligentsia envisioned these libraries, the article situates this first attempt to create a nationwide library network in its larger social context. This essay asks why most libraries were short-lived and investigates possible legal, political and social explanations. An analysis of the fate of the Vladimir Public Library gives a clearer understanding of the relationship between the central government's plans and local reactions.