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Information Resources at Smolny College and in St. Petersburg Smolny College features an increasing amount of information resources designed to improve academic life for both Russian and North American students. These include the Smolny College library, a number of computer labs, and access to online information systems. In addition, students at Smolny College have access to a large number of libraries and archives in St. Petersburg. The Smolny Library is located on the third floor of the Lt. Schmidt building in room 320. It contains all the readings you will need for your courses at Smolny, although it is very small and usually inadequate for research. You pick up the photocopied readers for your courses here at the beginning of the semester. The library staff are extremely knowledgeable and often able to help students gain access to collections in the city, or to point them in the right direction. Founded in 1999, the library is still growing. It currently houses approximately 10,000 volumes, 2,000 of which are English-language publications. If you need a specific text in English always check the library first. Click here to access the Smolny College Library catalogue. Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-9pm Saturday 11am-4pm
There is one computer lab with Internet connections for Smolny students at the Lt. Schmidt building, and one at the Bobrinsky Palace. However, space at Smolny is limited, meaning that the size of the computer labs is limited, as well (there are 40 working spaces). Both locations now have wireless access. In addition to computer use, students at Smolny College have access to a variety of online resources. Apart from Smolny's own Reserve Web, an online library of class readings, they may access information available to Bard College students through the Bard Library website. Students will be supplied with a login and password for off campus access. Other electronic resources include:
Additionally, Smolny College uses the Sakai Platform to develop online learning components, such as tests and interactive lessons. You may be required to access the Smolny Sakai Portal for one or more of your courses at Smolny. Also, each semester one or two courses are taught using the Bard-Smolny Virtual Campus, which rely on a combination of local classroom discussions, on-line exchanges, and video-conferencing. More information can be found here. Click here for the information resources website at Smolny College, including computing (in Russian).
If you are conducting more extensive research or, for instance, preparing to write a senior thesis, you may need to acquaint yourself with St. Petersburg's many libraries. As a student at Smolny College you can use all the university libraries (which are located throughout the city and often linked to special faculties or departments). A few of their addresses are given below. For a complete list, visit the website of the St. Petersburg University Gorky Library. Please contact program staff if you are interested in using any of these libraries. They may be able to arrange a guided tour and help you apply for a membership card. If you choose to apply on your own, remember to bring your passport, Russian student ID, two photos, and some rubles to get your card. In general, navigating libraries and conducting research in Russia is more challenging than in the United States. You will usually need to use a card catalogue to find books, before you verify its location using an electronic catalogue. Then you must request a specific book using the forms provided. There is usually no shelf browsing in Russian libraries. You may not be able to get the books requested right away; the attendant will tell you what day and time to come back for them. In libraries such as the Russian National Library, you are not allowed to bring any other books into the building, with the exception of notebooks. Some libraries do not allow you to take books home. You should always give yourself plenty of time to conduct research in Russia and plan well ahead. Philology Department Library Address: University Embankment 11 Tel: 328-95-64 Check the website for hours The Philology Department library is located on the second floor of the Physical Education Department building, located just behind the Philology Department. The library has a lot of useful material for students studying literature or linguistics.
St. Petersburg State University Academic Library (Gorky) Address: University Embankment 7/9 Tel: 328-9546 Check the website for hours This is where most students do their research and study. There is a very large collection including well-known literary authors in their original language. All the classics can be found. More modern or obscure books are not as readily available. You will find the SPbSU Academic Library on the second floor of the main University building. Go all the way to the end of the upper hallway away from the Neva and the library is straight ahead. The mandatory coat check is on your right. Sociology Department LibraryAddress: Smolny Street 1/3, Entrance 9 Tel: 271-34-33 Check the website for hours The Sociology and International Relations Faculties are located in the famous blue and white Smolny Cathedral complex. The European Center for Documentation is in the same building (back left corner). Lots of interesting international political material in English is available there. Russian National Library Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-9pm Sundays 11am-7pm Academic Reading Rooms Address: Ostrovsky Square 1/3 General Reading Rooms Address: Moscow Prospect 165, 2 (Park Pobedy metro) Tel: 118-85-28 Special Reading Rooms (the “Score Fund”) Address: Fontanka Embankment 36, Liteiny Prospect 49 Check the website for further information Materials cannot be taken out of this group of libraries, but they are a great place to study and do research. There is an online catalogue to help you. You need a long-term registration in St. Petersburg to get a library card, so bring your passport with registration, and your student ID card. It is also one of the few libraries open on Sundays. Remember, you can not bring any books into the library with you. Central City Library (Mayakovsky) Section of Literature in Foreign Languages: Address: Fontanka Embankment 46 Tel: 117-00-04 Hours: Monday-Saturday 12 pm-7pm; closed the last Thursday of every month Check the website for further information Section of Literature in Russian Address: Fontanka Embankment 44 Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 am–8pm every day; closed the last Thursday of every month Check the website for further information This library has a great collection. Foreign students are not always allowed to take out books because they only have a temporary registration, although Smolny is usually able to get students permission. Once you are in the library, you can read and use its resources. The foreign book section has very large collection of books in English, and this library should be checked after the Smolny library (although some are in holding facilities and will take several days to receive). The staff of the foreign section are very helpful and English-speaking. Be careful since it’s easy to get lost. Never go inside if you are in a rush. European University LibraryHours: Monday-Friday 10am-8pm; Saturdays 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.; closed the last Friday of every month Address: Gagarin Street 3, 4th floor Tel: 275-52-55 Check the website for further information The European University Library has a good collection of recently published academic and scholarly texts, which may not be available anywhere else in the city of St. Petersburg. Under special agreement, Smolny students are allowed to use the reading rooms of the European University’s library. You will need to present your student ID and may need to pay a small fee. The American Consulate General, Information Resource Center (IRC) Walk-in hours are Tuesday-Thursday 1-5 p.m. Address: 5/1 Millionaya Street, (the Marble Palace) Tel: 325-80-50 Check the website for further information or inquire per mail Designed to provide the latest and most accurate information on the U.S., it offers reference and research services to government officers, legislators, university professors, journalists, and library professionals. The IRC also provides in-house services for the general public. American citizens get free membership and can borrow books. British Council Library and Information Center Hours: Tuesday-Friday 12:30 pm-7 pm; Saturday 12 pm-5 pm Address: Fontanka Embankment 46 Tel: 325-60-74 Check the website for further information or inquire per email Provides information in such areas as education and English language learning, government and politics, arts and society, science and technology, media and commerce, British history, and libraries and publishing. There are Internet stations, which are free for researching Great Britain, otherwise there is a small fee. Membership costs 300 rubles and is good for one year. Past students have found it a bit loud and crowded. Alliance Francaise Library Address: Moika Emb. 20 Tel: 311-09-95 Check the website for further information or inquire per email This library has a large collection of French authors in history, philosophy, sociology, art, politics, children’s books, music, and video. Membership is 10 or 20 rubles, so make sure to show them your student ID for the discount. The library is a nice place to read and study - comfortable and clean. However, it can get a little crowded. German Library Address: Nevsky Prospect 25, on the corner of Kazanskaya and Nevsky. Take the entrance on Kazanskaya Ulitsa, past the doorman and up to the third floor. It is right next to the Norwegian consulate. This library has a very good reference collection in German, newspapers, and some academic and leisure journals. No membership is required and there are some computers with free Internet access. Students report that it has been quite empty recently—nice and quiet
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