On November 14, 2019, as part of the VIII St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum, a symposium titled "International Links between Libraries and Publishers in the Digital Age" was held at the Main Building of the Russian National Library (18 Sadovaya St.).

The symposium was opened by Alexander P. Vershinin, Director General of the Russian National Library. Mr. Vershinin greeted the guests of the forum and noted the importance of the tasks libraries face in the digital age.

The symposium was attended by the heads of the national libraries of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Korea, Poland and Russia.

On the agenda is a wide range of issues related to the activities of libraries in the context of the increasing volume of digital resources used to meet the information needs of users, as well as the role of modern information technology in the preservation of cultural heritage.

The symposium continued the discussion that began at the St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum in 2018.

The vent was moderated by Dean of the Library and Information Faculty of St. Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts, Valentina Brezhneva and General Director of the Russian National Library, Alexander Vershin

Ospanova Bakytzhamal Kayirbekovna, Director of the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan, spoke at the symposium on "The Documentary Heritage of Kazakhstan in the Digital Age".

Also in a solemn atmosphere was signed the agreement on cooperation between the National Library of Kazakhstan and the National Library of Russia.