To Lead Science and Understand People: To the 70th Birth Anniversary of Vladimir R. Firsov

The article analyses contribution of V.R. Firsov to the development of librarianship and library science. V.R. Firsov formed and continues to develop the new direction in library science — regulatory support for the activities of libraries; he is one of the main creators of the existing regulatory framework for the development of libraries in Russia. V.R. Firsov took an active part in the development of the most important legislative acts related to the library sphere: Federal Law of December 29, 1994 No. 78-FZ “On Librarianship”, the Concept of Part II of the “Model Library Code of the CIS Countries”, the Model Law “On Public Library”.Under the leadership of V.R. Firsov, the Russian Library Association (RLA) adopted many legal documents, including “Priorities for the Development of the Russian Library Association for 2011—2015”, “Code of Professional Ethics of the Russian Librarian”, “All-Russian Program for Preservation of Library Collections. The Second Stage: 2011—2020”, “Model Standard for Public Library Activity”, “Model Standard for the Activity of Special Library for the Blind of the Subjects of the Russian Federation”, “Guidelines for Public Libraries of Russia on Services for Young Adults”, etc.V.R. Firsov is the main developer and author-compiler of documents defining the status and development of the National Library of Russia (NLR): the Charter of the National Library of Russia, the Strategy for the Development of the National Library of Russia for the period up to 2020, the Concept for the Development of the National Library of Russia for 2018—2025. Thanks to his efforts, the role of the NLR as scientific and methodological centre of Russian libraries and modern scientific institution has increased; there have been created conditions for the development of the NLR as institution of additional professional education.V.R. Firsov is the author of more than 400 scientific publications (monographs, reference books, articles in the leading professional periodicals); a number of his collections on international acts in the field of librarianship, cultural policy in Europe and reading problems have been published. He took part in the creation of the “Library Encyclopaedia” (2007). V.R. Firsov is rightfully one of the leading scientists and organisers of library science, who has significant impact on the development of librarianship and library science in Russia and the CIS countries in the late 20th — early 21st century.