V. I. Lenin

The Tasks Of The Public Library
In Petrograd

It takes knowledge to participate in the revolution with
intelligence, purpose and success.

Because tsarism had played havoc with public education over a
period of many years, the library service in Petrograd is in a
very bad state.

The following changes, based on principles long practised in the
free countries of the West, especially Switzerland and the
United States, must be made immediately and unconditionally:

(1) The public library (the former Imperial Library) must
immediately start an exchange of books with all public and state
libraries in Petrograd and the provinces and with foreign
libraries (in Finland, Sweden, etc.).

(2) The forwarding of books from one library to another must be made post-free by law.

(3) The library’s reading-room must be open, as is the practice with private libraries and reading-rooms for the
rich in civilised countries, from 8.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. daily, not excluding Sundays and holidays.

(4) The required personnel must be immediately transferred to
the Public Library from the various offices of the Ministry of
Education (with more women, in view of the military demand for
men), where nine-tenths of the staff are engaged not merely in
useless, but in downright harmful work.