Scientific libraries: future in the past

The article considers the main problems and challenges facing scientific libraries in the context of the rapid development of information technologies. The article presents the discussion of library specialists who support various positions, the analysis of trends, and possible scenarios for the future existence of scientific libraries. The relations of "letters" and "figures" changing against the background of general digitalization are shown, the possibilities and conditions of their effective interaction are analyzed. The conclusion is made about the expediency of combining the achievements of the past and the future in the knowledge transfer. It reflects the fundamental trends in the needs of users, changes in the services provided and the existing competencies of scientific libraries staff. Attention is drawn to objective and subjective reasons that hinder the innovative development of the library sphere. The information and communication potential and the possibilities of integrating librarians into the process of scientific research are shown on the example of SPSTL SB RAS. The authors have identified and summarized the basic recommendations for optimizing the situation, taking into account the best domestic and foreign experience, with an emphasis on key problems.