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This paper is about advanced library information systems in Russia. The urgent need is obvious in Russia for library systems based on open standards and Internet technology, and for integrating library systems in common library information space. The Regional University and Science Library Advanced Network in the north‐west of Russia (RUSLANet) Project is an initiative of St Petersburg State Technical University, aimed at joining the collections of university libraries and providing access to them via the Internet. The paper discusses briefly the concept of the RUSLANet Project, ways of implementing it, its position today, and plans for the near future.

The article covers the five‐year history of the implementation of Z39.50‐type products in Russia. All existing projects are mentioned in the order of their development. Since the authors are from RUSLANet, that project is described in greater detail. The architecture of a distributed library system, as well as its basic components, are presented, and the place and role of Z39.50 facilities in Russian libraries are highlighted. The obstacles the Russian library community faces in moving to a networked environment are covered. The need to develop uniquely Russian Z39.50 databases grew from specific document‐ processing features within the libraries. Some prospects for future development and use of Z39.50 environment in Russian libraries are also given.

Last year we spoke to Alexander Plemnek of the St Petersburg State Technical University (http://www.unilib.neva.ru), Jennifer Treherne of the University of Surrey (http://www.surrey.ac.uk/Library/library.html) and Paul S. Ulrich of the Zentral‐ und Landesbibliothek Berlin (http://www.kulturbox.de/berlin/zlb/index‐e.htm) about the ways in which their libraries were networked and how they saw things were going. Alexander Plemnek is also heavily involved in RUSLANet, an advanced library information system in Russia that is an initiative of St Petersburg State Technical University.

How do libraries network nowadays? What systems are used? What role do the Internet and World Wide Web play in all this? Giving their answers from the perspectives of their own libraries this issue are Birgit Böhme and Paul S. Ulrich (Information Services, Zentral‐ und Landesbibliothek Berlin/Berlin Central & Regional Library, Germany, http://www.kultwbox.de/berlin/zlb/index‐e.htm) (see note on next page); Alexander Plemnek (Executive Director, Open Library Systems Centre, Fundamental Library of St Petersburg State Technical University, Russia, http://www.unilib.neva.ru/); and Jennifer Treherne (Systems Librarian, University of Surrey, UK, http://www.surrey.ac.uk/Library/library.html).

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the current situation and history of cooperation and resource sharing in Russian libraries. The resources and services provided cooperatively are described.

A narrative combining description, surveys, analysis and evaluation.

Fundamental changes have occurred in Russian libraries as a result of the development of consortia services development, particularly in resource sharing.

Digital libraries and databases subscriptions were not within the scope of this study.

The paper demonstrates the efforts of many libraries cooperatively producing services at a national level.

One of the few articles to describe the current state of resource sharing and consortia development in Russia.