Introduction to Archives in Russia and NIS

Instructor   Dr. Olga E. Glagoleva
Duration   1 term, 6 weeks, 1 class per week, 2 hours per class: January 13th-February 24th, 2006; Friday 2:30-4:30.
Description   This course is an introductory, non-credit course for graduate students to prepare them for carrying out research in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union or working with Russian archival documents in Western repositories. The course will introduce students to the organization and structure of the state, regional and private archives and libraries, access to records, working rules and conditions, archival terminology, basic finding aids, and general techniques of reading a manuscript and preparing it for publication. A special attention will be given to new technologies in accessing archival sources, such as the Internet resources for archival studies, CD-ROM and other electronic publications, and to hands-on practical skills in archival research.

The course is in English but reading knowledge of Russian is required.
Final Assignment  
  • formulate an appropriate archival topic for research (in accordance with the student's research needs);
  • prepare a list of basic bibliography and main sources of documents (published as well as unpublished) for this topic;
  • demonstrate the ability to find archival sources on different research topics on the Internet, in published and unpublished finding aids;
  • demonstrate the ability to read, comprehend and analyze a variety of Russian documents of different types.
Requirements  
  • attendance, reading, and participation are required;
  • preparation of a list of basic bibliography and main sources of documents (published and unpublished) for the student's individual research topic;
  • search via the Internet and other electronic means to familiarize yourself with the new opportunities in archival research;
  • home practice in the reading of Russian archival documents of different types.
Teaching strategies   The instructor's lectures, as well as group discussions. Three out of six classes will be held in a computer laboratory and at Petro Jasyk Research Centre (PJRC), for practical learning of the archival sources on the Internet, digital publications, etc., and for hands-on practice in finding sources in bibliography, finding aids, archives' guides, etc. Some time will be given to sharing previous experiences in working with Russian archival documents in Russia, NIS and in Western repositories, discussing possible troubles and obstacles, and finding ways of reducing them. Each class will apportion a substantial amount of time to developing students' practical skills for archival work. The recent bibliography, archival guides, and methods of successful work with them will be introduced to students. They are, therefore, expected to arrive in class having read and reflected on the assignment for that day in order to achieve best results.
Reading required  
  • Olga E. Glagoleva, website: Introduction to Russian Archives at: http://www.interlog.com/~moslon/olga.htm.
  • Olga E. Glagoleva, "Archival Research in Russia: How to Make it Successful?" NewsNet: News of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies. Vol. 42, no. 5 (December 2002): 13-21 (http://www.interlog.com/~moslon/olga/article.htm).
  • The Russian version of the above article (revised and updated), Tula State University, 2005 (http://www.interlog.com/~moslon/olga/rusarticle.htm).
  • Olga E. Glagoleva, Working with Russian Archival Documents: A Guide to Modern Handwriting, Document Forms, Language Patterns, and Other Related Topics. The Stalin-Era Research and Archives Project, Working Paper no.2: Toronto, 1998.
  • Arkhivy Rossii: http://www.rusarchives.ru .
  • ArcheoBiblioBase: Archives in Russia at http://www.iisg.nl/~abb/index.html .
  • Access to Russian Archives Project at online.eastview.com/projects/ticfia/index.html .
  • Library.ru: http://www.library.ru/3/biblionet/ .
  • Patricia K. Grimsted, A Handbook for Archival Research in the USSR. New York,1989 (ROBA – PJRC •CD/1711/G74/1989 -- BK NONCIRC -- NonCirculating/NonRequest) or
  • Patricia K. Grimsted, Research in Archives and Manuscript Repositories in the USSR: An Introductory Orientation. Cambridge, MA, 1987 (ROBA •CD/1711/G75/1987/c.1)
  • Berry, M. J. and M. J. Ilic. Using The Russian Archives: An Informal Practical Guide for Beginners Based on Users’ Experience. British Academic Committee for Collaboration With Russian Archives, in association with the Centre for Russian and East European Studies (CREES), University of Birmingham. Birmingham: CREES, The University of Birmingham, 1999.
  • Revised electronic edition thereof (December 2002) at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/faculty/harrison/archive/guides/
  • Popov A.V. "Russkoe zarubezh'e i zarubezhnaia arkhivnaia rossika," Novyi zhurnal (New York), 2003, no. 230: 217-45, or at http://zarubezhje.narod.ru/texts/popov_rossica.htm .
  • Kostaki, Tatiana. Russian Library Treasures: An Index of National and Academic Libraries. Toronto: C. J. Barnes, 2000.
  • Sheila Fitzpatrick and Lynne Viola, eds., A Researcher's Guide to Sources on Soviet Social History in the 1930s. Armonk, NY, 1990 (ROBA Copy by Request •Z/7165/S65R47/1990 -- NonCirculating; Gerstein Library •Z/7165/S65R47/1990 --ShortTermLoan).
  • Archives in Russia: A Directory and Bibliographic Guide to Holdings in Moscow and St. Petersburg: English-Language Version, ed. Patricia K. Grimsted. 2 vols. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2000 (excerpts are available on the website ArcheoBiblioBase at <http://www.iisg.nl/~abb/>) (PJRC).
  • Arkhivy Rossii: Moskva i Sankt-Peterburg: Spravochnik-obozrenie i bibliograficheskii ukazatel’: Russkoe izdanie, ed. P. K. Grimsted. Moscow, 1997. (Russian-language version of Archives in Russia.) (PJRC).
  • Federal'nye arkhivy Rossii i ikh nauchno-spravochnyi apparat. Kratkii spravochnik. Moscow, 1994 (PJRC, xerox).
  • Tsentral'nye arkhivy Moskvy. Putevoditel' po fondam lichnogo proiskhozhdeniia, comp. A. A. Kats. Moscow, 1998. (ROBA •CD/1717/P47T78/1998x ).
  • Lichnye arkhivnye fondy v gosudarstvennykh khranilishchakh SSSR. Ukazatel’. 3 vols. Moscow, 1962-1963, 1980 (ROBA •CD 1739 .5 A1A5 -- v.1-3).
  • Regulations for Work of Users in Reading Rooms of the State Archives of the Russian Federation. Moscow, 1998, English translation (available on the web ArcheoBiblioBase <http://www.iisg.nl/~abb/>) or Pravila raboty issledovatelei v chital'nykh zalakh gosudarstvennykh arkhivov Rossiiskoi Federatsii, in Otechestvennye arklhivy, 1999, No. 3, pp. 3-4.
  • Osnovy zakonodatel'stva Rossiiskoi Federatsii ob Arkhivnom fonde Rossiiskoi Federatsii i arkhivakh. Gos. arkhivnaia sluzhba Rossii, 1993 (excerpt, handout).
  • Pravila izdaniia istoricheskikh dokumentov v SSSR. Moscow, 1990 (ROBA •Z286/H5P73/1990/c.1).
  • Shepelev L.E., Arkhivnye razyskaniia i issledovaniia. Moscow, 1971 (ROBA •CD 1711 S49).
  • Suslova E.N., Poisk arkhivnykh dokumentov. Leningrad, 1987 (ROBA •CD 965 R8S87 1987).
  • Istochnikovedenie: Teoriia. Istoriia. Metod. Istochniki rossiiskoi istorii: Uchebnoe posobie. Moscow, 1998 (ROBA •DK 38 .I834 1998X ).

For recommended reading see Bibliography.
     
    Major topics and problems:
Week 1  
  1. General introduction:
  • Preparation for work in archives, libraries and museums in Russia and NIS.
  • Formulation of the research topic and goals for the trip, necessary documentation.
  • The law on archives and archival rules.
  • Sharing previous experiences of work in  archives in Russia and NIS.
  1. The archival system: A brief introduction.
  • Archival terminology.
  • Russian archival system: types of archives, their holdings.
  • Russian state archival system - Rosarkhiv: federal and oblast' archives.
  • Russian Presidential Archive.
  • State archives of other federal agencies.
  • Archives of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
  • Archives of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
  • Archival holdings in libraries and museums.
  • Independent archives.
  • Archives of the independent states - former Soviet Republics.
  1. General finding aids and bibliography.
  2. Procedural Information:
  • Application for archival work and access to records.
  • Research conditions. Possibilities of information gathering prior to work in archives (phone and written requests). Duplication and Microfilming. Commercial services.
  • Filling out application forms (practical): User Questionnaire, Request Form, Disclosure Statement, Copyright Disclosure Statement, Photocopy Form.

Readings:
Glossary of Archival Terms (handout).
Glagoleva, "Archival Research in Russia".
Berry, Using The Russian Archives.
Glagoleva, Working, pp. 1-4.
Grimsted, Research in Archives, pp. iii-30.
Viola, "Archival Research in the USSR," in Fitzpatrick-Viola, pp. 65-70.
Viola, "Introductory Notes for Researchers," ibid., pp. vii-xii.
Regulations for Work of Users in … Archives (handout).
Archives of Russia: A Directory.
Arkhivy Rossii: Moskva i Sankt-Peterburg, sections A-C.
Federal'nye arkhivy Rossii.
     
Week 2  

 

      Internet class (Computer lab - Robarts, room 4055)
  1. Slavic sources on the Internet.
  2. Major archives in Russia and NIS on the Internet:
  1. Rosarkhiv's International collaborative projects.
  2. Slavic sources and Rossica/Sovietica in Western repositories, finding aids, collections and publications on the Internet.

Readings:
Glagoleva, "Archival Research in Russia".
Russian version of the above article.
Popov, "Russkoe zarubezh'e i zarubezhnaia arkhivnaia rossika".
Archives of Russia: A Directory, vol. 1.
     
Week 3  

 

     Internet class (Computer lab - Robarts, room 4055)
  1.   Slavic sources on the Internet.
  2. Principal libraries in Moscow and St. Petersburg:
  • Holdings, catalogues, reference departments and how to use them.
  • Manuscript and document collections, map and art collections.
  • Periodicals. Finding aids.
  • Virtual Reference Library.
  • Finding books/articles, etc. on the Internet.
  • Official gateway to Russian libraries, Library.ru: http://www.library.ru/3/biblionet/ .
  • Archival holdings of Russian libraries at Arkhivy Rossii: http://www.rusarchives.ru/muslib/index.shtml .
  1. Principal museums and their holdings of archival documents and personal data:
  1. Finding aids on different topics.
  2. Web source collections and thematic websites.
  3. Visual sources on the Internet.
  4. Finding sources for a given topic on the Internet (practical).

Readings:
Glagoleva, "Archival Research in Russia".
Russian version of the above article (handout).
Kostaki, Russian Library Treasures: An Index .
Grimsted, A Handbook, pp. 247-272.
Viola, "Introductory Notes", pp. vii-xii.
Archives of Russia: A Directory, vol. 2.
Arkhivy Rossii, sections D-F.
     
Week 4  

 

      PJRC (Robarts, 8th floor)
  1. General Finding Aids and Bibliography. The PJRC collection.
  • Published archival guides and finding aids.
  • Guides to libraries and museums.
  • Reference indexes and bibliographical publications.
  1. Finding sources for a given topic in bibliography, finding aids, archival guides, etc. (practical).

Readings:
Arkhivy Rossii: http://www.rusarchives.ru ;
ArcheoBiblioBase: Archives in Russia at http://www.iisg.nl/~abb/index.html ;
Library.ru: http://www.library.ru/3/biblionet/ .
Archives of Russia: A Directory, vol. 1-2, indexes.
Kostaki, Russian Library Treasures: An Index .
     
Week 5   *Final Assignment due* (a student's archival topic for research, along with a list of bibliography and main sources of documents for this topic).
  1. Istochnikovedenie and its subject.
  • Russian and Soviet organizations. Brief historical survey: structure, departments, main bibliography.
  • Deloproizvodstvo: different types of documents, their structure and elements.
  • Reading manuscripts.
  1. Auxiliary historical disciplines necessary for reading a manuscript: paleography, study of watermarks, chronology, heraldry, sphragistics, etc.
  • Brief review of the development of Russian handwriting to the present day.
  • Methods of reading manuscripts: graphical and logical.
  • Comprehension, and analysis of documents.
  1. Reading of different types of handwritten documents (practical): svodka, vedomost', opis' imushchestva, lichnoe delo, protocol doprosa, rezolutsiia, postanovlenie, dnevnik, pis'mo, zaiavlenie, etc.

Readings:
Glagoleva, "Archival Research in Russia".
Glagoleva, Working, pp. 4-96.
Viola "Archival Research ", pp. 70-83.
Suslova, Poisk archivnykh dokumentov, pp. 22-78.
Shepelev, Rabota issledovatelia, pp.64-110.
Istochnikovedenie, 1998.
Korzhikhina, Sovetskoe gosudarstvo, 1994.
     
Week 6  
  1. Rules and norms of documents publishing.
  • Copyright in the era of new technologies.
  • Analysis of different types of publications (practical).
  1. Reading Russian documents of different types (students' demonstration of their reading and analytical skills).
  2. Checking of the Final Assignment (individual discussions of students' assignments, instructor's comments and recommendations).

Readings:
Copyright rules (handout).
Pravila izdaniia istoricheskikh dokumentov.
Glagoleva, Working, pp. 4-96.
Grimsted, A Handbook, 1989, pp. 105-154.

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