RUSSIAN STATE LIBRARY

formerly Lenin Library, or V.i. Lenin State Order-of-lenin Library, national library of Russia, located in Moscow, notable for its extensive collection of early printed books and a collection of manuscripts that includes ancient Slavonic codices. Originally founded in 1862 as the library of the Rumyantsev Museum, it was reorganized after the Russian Revolution of 1917 under the leadership of Vladimir I. Lenin, who had studied libraries in Russia and western Europe. Its initial collection incorporated the contents of confiscated private libraries and the Rumyantsev Museum collection. One of the largest libraries in the world, the Russian State Library contains more than 38 million printed books, periodicals, and serials and is the national book depository of Russia.