苏联的公共图书馆事业在世界上处于领先地位。国立列宁图书馆藏书3000多万件,包括250多种文字,与100多个国家的图书馆建立了书刊交换关系。加盟共和国、州、市和区等各级公共图书馆星罗棋布,组成庞大的公共图书馆网络,接待全国60%以上的图书馆读者,其书刊借阅率超过其他专业图书馆。显然,苏联的公共图书馆已经成为社会文化教育的重要组成部分。随着国民经济、科学技术和文化教育的迅速发展,整个社会和广大读者对图书馆的需求不断变化。苏联图书馆界认为,公共图书馆面临着新的挑战,正处于重大的转折阶段。譬如,苏联的社会教育和职业学校教育正在改革,青少年的自学范围日益扩大,电视机和电化教学设备大力普及,美学观 The Soviet Union’s public library is a leader in the world. The National Lenin Library has a collection of more than 30 million books, including more than 250 languages, and books and periodical exchanges with more than 100 countries. Public libraries in the republics, states, cities and districts are spread over a large public library network and receive over 60% of library readers across the country. Their book circulation rate exceeds that of other specialized libraries. Obviously, the Soviet public library has become an important part of social and cultural education. With the rapid development of the national economy, science, technology and cultural education, the demand for libraries in society as a whole and readership is constantly changing. The Soviet Union’s library community believes that public libraries are facing new challenges and are at a major turning point. For example, the social education and vocational school education in the Soviet Union are undergoing reforms. The scope of self-learning for young people is expanding day by day. Television sets and electrified teaching facilities are popularized. Aesthetics