18
Aliya Mustafina1
VIRTUAL READING ROOMS IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ARCHIVES
ABSTRACT
The adaptation of information technologies into archives is associated with a wide 
range of works. Apart from automating the main processes of activity, solving the tasks 
of preserving electronic documents and records, creating various databases and search 
engines, one of its main directions is to provide the possibility of remote work with ar-
chival documents, including via the Internet. The article discusses the organization of 
virtual reading rooms in the archives of Kazakhstan.
In this contribution, the upcoming directions and new forms of using documents are 
analyzed, including the necessity of expanding the possibilities of users’ remote access 
to archival funds through virtual reading rooms. At the same time, problems related to 
their creation, successful implementation and effective use were identified.
It is concluded that in most cases the system of the “virtual reading room” operates in an 
introductory mode and provides mainly free access to the scientific reference apparatus 
of the archive and to the annotations of the funds.
Keywords: virtual rooms, archive, electronic document, electronic archive, archives of 
Kazakhstan, long-term storage, information system.
SALE DI LETTURA VIRTUALI NEGLI ARCHIVI 
DEL KAZAKISTAN
SINTESI
L’adattamento delle tecnologie dell’informazione negli archivi è associato a un’ampia 
gamma di opere. Oltre ad automatizzare i principali processi di attività, risolvere i com-
piti di conservazione di documenti e record elettronici, creare vari database e motori di 
ricerca, una delle sue direzioni principali è quella di fornire la possibilità di lavorare a 
distanza con documenti d’archivio, anche tramite Internet. L’articolo discute l’organiz-
zazione delle sale di lettura virtuali negli archivi del Kazakistan. Vengono analizzate le 
direzioni imminenti e le nuove forme di utilizzo dei documenti. È motivata la necessità 
di ampliare le possibilità di accesso remoto degli utenti ai fondi archivistici attraverso 
sale di lettura virtuali. Contestualmente sono state individuate le problematiche rela-
tive alla loro realizzazione, implementazione di successo e uso efficace. Si conclude che 
nella maggior parte dei casi il sistema della “sala di lettura virtuale” opera in modalità 
introduttiva e prevede principalmente il libero accesso all’apparato scientifico di riferi-
mento dell’archivio e alle annotazioni dei fondi.
Parole chiave: stanze virtuali, archivio, documento elettronico, archivio elettronico, ar-
chivi del Kazakistan, conservazione a lungo termine, sistema informativo.
1 Aliya Mustafina, Deputy Director of the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakh-
stan, Almaty, 050010, Dostyk ave., 87 b, e-mail: amustafina@archive.president.kz
VIRTUAL READING ROOMS IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ARCHIVES ALIYA MUSTAFINA
19
VIRTUALNE ČITALNICE V ARHIVU KAZAHSTANA
POVZETEK
Vključevanje informacijskih tehnologij v delo arhivov je povezano s širokim naborom 
del. Poleg avtomatizacije glavnih procesov dejavnosti, reševanja nalog hrambe elek-
tronskih dokumentov in zapisov, ustvarjanja različnih zbirk podatkov in iskalnikov je 
ena njegovih glavnih usmeritev zagotavljanje možnosti oddaljenega dela z arhivskimi 
dokumenti, tudi prek interneta. Članek obravnava organizacijo virtualnih čitalnic v ar-
hivih Kazahstana.
Analizirane so prihajajoče usmeritve in nove oblike uporabe dokumentov. Utemeljuje 
se potreba po razširitvi možnosti oddaljenega dostopa uporabnikov do arhivskega fon-
da prek virtualnih čitalnic. Hkrati so bile ugotovljene težave v zvezi z njihovim ustvarja-
njem, uspešno izvedbo in učinkovito uporabo.
Ugotavljamo, da sistem »virtualne čitalnice« v večini primerov deluje v osnovnem nači-
nu in omogoča predvsem brezplačen dostop do znanstveno-referenčnega aparata ar-
hiva in do opomb fondov.
Ključne besede: virtualne sobe, arhiv, elektronski dokument, elektronski arhiv, arhiv 
Kazahstana, dolgoročno shranjevanje, informacijski sistem.
АННОТАЦИЯ
Внедрение информационных технологий в деятельность архивов связана с 
широким спектром работ. Помимо автоматизации основных процессов де-
ятельности, решения задач сохранения электронных документов и записей, 
создания различных баз данных и поисковых систем, одним из его основных 
направлений является обеспечение возможности работы с архивными доку-
ментами в удаленном режиме, в том числе посредством сети «Интернет». В 
статье рассмотрены вопросы организации виртуальных читальных залов в 
архивах Казахстана. Анализируются перспективные направления и новые фор-
мы использования документов. Обосновывается необходимость расширения 
возможностей удаленного доступа пользователей к архивным фондам через 
виртуальные читальные залы. Вместе с тем, выявлены проблемы, связанные с 
созданием, успешным внедрением и эффективным их использованием.
Сделан вывод о том, что в большинстве случаев система «виртуального чи-
тального зала» действует в ознакомительном режиме и предоставляет глав-
ным образом бесплатный доступ к научно-справочному аппарату архива и 
также к аннотациям фондов.
VIRTUAL READING ROOMS IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ARCHIVES ALIYA MUSTAFINA
20
INTRODUCTION
Based on developing information technologies, there is a transformation of the informa-
tion environment of society and, naturally, the behavior of archival services users. Over 
the last years, according to statistics, the need for archival documents has been increas-
ing, access to which in most cases can be obtained in the reading rooms of archives. In this 
regard, users of reading rooms often have difficulties in obtaining the necessary informa-
tion. Moreover, during the pandemic Covid-19, the situation was further aggravated due 
to the restriction imposed on physical visits to archives. Now, there is a situation where 
archives cannot fully meet the needs of citizens and organizations in obtaining archival 
information in traditional forms. Therefore, at present, the most promising areas of ex-
panding access to archival information and improving the quality of information services 
are the organization of remote access, the improvement of automated information re-
trieval systems, the integration of archival information resources, increasing the volume 
of electronic use fund and the adaptation of new usage forms of documents. In addition, 
the modern development of information technology provides users with the ability to 
quickly search for information using simple and “friendly” interfaces.
THE CONCEPT OF A “VIRTUAL READING ROOM”
Among modern services (electronic document delivery, virtual certificate, virtual legal 
information center, etc.), virtual reading rooms have been actively developed. The de-
velopment of new services requires a theoretical justification of their specifics, disclo-
sure of functioning features. The theoretical aspects of this problem include the forma-
tion of definitions of virtual archive services concepts.
The concept of “virtual reading room” is actively included in everyday practice in the con-
text of the informatization process of archives and libraries. By providing remote access to 
archival collections, virtual reading rooms are becoming increasingly popular, expanding 
the information field of archives. But the concept of “virtual reading room” is not reflected 
today either in national standards or in regulatory legal acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
For example, the Dictionary of Archives Terminology gives the following definitions of 
the concept of “virtual reading room”:
• «an online research environment in which the discoverability and/or downloading of 
materials is deliberately limited, and/or access is restricted to researchers who have 
created a limited-term account and agreed to terms of use similar to those that apply 
in a physical reading room of archives»; 
• «an online environment in which digital materials are made freely available» (Dic-
tionary of Archives Terminology, 2021).
In other cases, the concept of a “virtual reading room” is revealed based on the form of 
its practical implementation in a particular organization. For example, the Regulation 
on the Virtual Reading Room of the National Library of Belarus provides the following 
definition: “A virtual reading room is an online information resource (database), includ-
ing electronic publications, databases and services created by the National Library of 
Belarus and lawfully acquired for use”. (“The Virtual Reading Room Regulations of the 
National Library of Belarus”, 2021). The interpretation of the term in the normative doc-
uments of the Russian State Library differs significantly”. The virtual reading room of the 
Russian State Library is a room of a public library with installed workstations equipped 
with personal computers with permanent IP addresses that have access to the Internet, 
allowing them to serve virtual readers” (Launching a Virtual Reading Room of the Rus-
sian State Library, 2021).
VIRTUAL READING ROOMS IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ARCHIVES ALIYA MUSTAFINA
21
On its website, Research Libraries UK (RLUK) has published a major research report “New 
Frontiers of Digital Access: The development and delivery of Virtual Reading Rooms 
and Virtual Teaching Spaces amongst collection-holding institutions”. It explores the 
development and delivery of Virtual Reading Rooms (VRRs) and Virtual Teaching Spac-
es (VTSs) amongst archives, special collections, and museums and presents the results 
from a major international survey of libraries, archives, and museums, conducted by 
RLUK in May-June 2021.
As noted in the report “Virtual Reading Rooms and Virtual Teaching Spaces are emerging 
services which have largely grown out of the coronavirus pandemic. Although a prag-
matic response to the closure, or partial closure, of buildings during various local, re-
gional, and national lockdowns, VRRs are becoming established as bespoke research 
services and VTSs as valuable routes through which archives, special collections, muse-
ums and galleries can engage with diverse groups through virtual learning sessions”.
The report presents the experiences of 32 institutions which have created, or intend to 
create, VRR and VTS services and explores the impact of these and their potential contri-
bution to original research and learning across a range of disciplines. It explores issues 
in relation to the technological, spatial, and staffing requirements of these services, 
their potential scalability and sustainability, and the potential for collaborative and col-
lective approaches between institutions in their development and discovery.
The report will provide the foundation for a series of events and cross-sector discus-
sions, led by RLUK, to explore the continued development and delivery of these exciting 
services nationally and internationally (Greenhall, 2021).
OVERVIEW OF VIRTUAL READING ROOMS IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ARCHIVES
The analysis of the implementation forms of virtual reading rooms in Kazakhstan ar-
chives allows us to define them in the most general way as an online service designed 
to organize remote users’ access to information resources of archives.
In the vast majority of regions of Kazakhstan, the “virtual reading room” system oper-
ates in an introductory mode and provides mainly free access to the scientific reference 
apparatus of the archive and the annotations of the funds. Access to digitized copies of 
archival documents in most regional archives that have implemented the “virtual read-
ing room” system is not carried out, with rare exceptions, which include the Archive of 
the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the state archives of Nur-Sultan city and 
the West Kazakhstan region. The main limiting factor in this direction is the low rate of 
digitization of archival documents. As of January 1, 2020, this figure reached only 4% of 
the total volume of the National Archival Fund.
In this regard, the experience of the Republic of Kazakhstan’s Presidential Archive on 
the creation of an electronic fund for use is indicative. 25,000 storage units (about 2.5-3 
million) are digitized here annually. pages). As of January 1, 2021, the archive has creat-
ed electronic copies of more than 165,000 storage units, which is about 35% of the total 
volume of archival documents. In parallel, work is underway to translate the scientific 
reference apparatus into digital format. All these data are entered into the Unified In-
formation Retrieval System “Electronic Archive” (EIPSEA), which is remotely accessed by 
registered users through a personal account on the archive’s website. Online access can 
be organized to the entire array of digital copies or electronic documents, to separate 
categories of these documents, or to a separate document. The time period for which 
access is granted may also be limited.
VIRTUAL READING ROOMS IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ARCHIVES ALIYA MUSTAFINA
22
Two web resources are also available on the website of the Presidential Archive: tutkyn.
kz and asharshylyq.kz. The first of them is a database “Prisoners of war-Kazakhstanis 
in World War II”, posted on the official website of the archive. It is formed by searching 
for documentary materials about the military and post-war fates of former prisoners 
of war of the Second World War in the archives and libraries of Kazakhstan and foreign 
countries; studying statistical and analytical publications, periodicals, visual (graphic) 
materials and other sources. Currently, it contains information and documents about 
more than 35 thousand persons.
As part of the second project, an Internet resource has been created Аsharshylyq.kz, 
which is a single republican database of victims of the mass famine of the 30s in Ka-
zakhstan. It consists of three sections: victims of hunger, victims of hunger in orphan-
ages and migration. In addition to the lists, the site contains materials of domestic and 
foreign researchers on the topic of the famine of the 30s, as well as photo, video, and 
audio materials.
In 2019, the Government of Kazakhstan adopted a Comprehensive development plan 
“Archive-2025”, according to which the key areas of development are computerization, 
as well as the transfer to electronic form of at least 50% of archival funds, including 
audiovisual documents. For example, in the Central State Archive of Film and Photo Doc-
uments and Sound Recordings of Kazakhstan (CGA KFDZ), priority was given to digitizing 
film documents on combustible nitrocellulose and non-combustible triacetate bases, 
numbering 4 thousand units of xp., to create a fund for use on electronic media. Today 
it already occupies a volume of over 400 TB, or about 6096 film documents. Total digiti-
zation of the film required the most productive, high-quality, and modern equipment.
As a result of the translation of documents into digital format, it became possible to 
provide services more effectively to users of state archives for remote access to images 
of archival documents. Thus, access to copies of documents with low resolution can be 
carried out through a virtual reading room on the Internet.
The electronic images of audiovisual documents posted on the website are provided 
with brief annotations, and most of the newsreels are editing sheets with a frame-by-
frame description. The search is conducted by keywords with highlighting of the found 
words in the accompanying information. You can set up a search by the names of direc-
tors, screenwriters or cameramen, as well as by year of release, genre and region. The 
VIRTUAL READING ROOMS IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ARCHIVES ALIYA MUSTAFINA
23
search engine is implemented in Russian and English, the results are displayed on the 
screen automatically as you type. Thanks to the portal, interest in archival audiovisual 
documents have increased, and the attendance of the archive has also increased. The 
creation of its own portal with access to electronic copies of archival audiovisual doc-
uments, the ability to order copies, arrange their delivery, as well as pay for copying 
online through paid online services will allow the archive to increase the efficiency and 
quality of providing information services in an electronic environment.
The traffic to the site of the KFDZ archive has increased, as interest is increasing not only 
among those whose interests are related to professional activities but also among his-
tory lovers.
Among the regional ones, the experience of the archive of the West Kazakhstan region 
is indicative. On its website, the user has the opportunity to register online and gain 
access to the information search engine through his personal account. Registration in-
volves filling out a standard questionnaire, similar to the questionnaire of the user of 
the reading room. In the system, the user has the opportunity to get acquainted with 
the composition of the archive funds, inventories. The search is possible up to the title 
level both directly from the fund and the inventory and by keywords. It is possible to 
access digitized copies of archival documents.
In general, the use of a virtual reading room allows remote access:
1) to conduct a review of archival funds.
2) ensure equal access to archival documents for all users;
3) to create more comfortable conditions in working with archival documents for users;
4) provide access to users for the archive databases in order to meet their information needs;
5) provide additional services to users, such as obtaining digital copies of documents, 
printing documents, etc.; (Khorunzhiy, 2012).
Access to the virtual reading room is provided via the Internet, as well as from comput-
ers located in the archive’s reading room.
A significant increase in traffic to the Nur-Sultan city archive website since the creation of 
the “virtual reading room” allows us to judge the demand for this service among users. 
VIRTUAL READING ROOMS IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ARCHIVES ALIYA MUSTAFINA
24
In this connection, it seems relevant to create a special unified information system for 
the remote use of archival documents, which in the future will be a national electronic 
archive. Such an information system will be a virtual reading room of archives, which 
will allow you to remotely use inventories and digitized copies of archival documents. 
The presence of such a system will make it possible to expand the circle of users of ar-
chival information resources, simplify the order of their use and reduce the workload of 
reading rooms.
It is more difficult to monitor users’ compliance with the established rules for working 
with electronic documents and preventing unauthorized copying of electronic docu-
ments with online access. Copying in such cases may be restricted by issuing users in 
their personal accounts in different formats and with different permissions, protecting 
against the misuse of documents in the future. First of all, this is relevant for documents 
to which access is allowed, but copying is not, in particular, for electronic documents 
that are objects of intellectual property.
The issue of the procedure for providing copies of electronic documents at the request 
of users needs to be resolved. Copies can be provided to users in electronic form, while 
the characteristics of the copy may differ from the characteristics of the electronic doc-
ument stored in the archive (format, resolution, size, etc.). It should be possible for the 
archive to certify copies of electronic documents with an electronic signature.
It should be noted that the development and improvement of the work of virtual read-
ing rooms take place empirically, as well as during the comparative study of the accu-
mulated experience of other archives, which is why it is so important to have an idea 
and constantly monitor the overall experience.
SUMMARY:
A characteristic feature of our time is the widespread use of information and telecom-
munication technologies. Electronic document management systems are being de-
veloped and implemented at the state level, specialized systems for providing service 
regarding requests or handling requests of the population and organizations are be-
coming popular. In the contemporary context of societal informatisation, archival in-
stitutions perform several important public and state functions for the development 
of electronic record keeping and document management, ensuring equal access to in-
VIRTUAL READING ROOMS IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ARCHIVES ALIYA MUSTAFINA
25
formation resources using information and telecommunication technologies, the for-
mation of digital content. Archival information becomes an independent factor of the 
social and economic development of society. A huge amount of information arising in 
modern society is concentrated in modern archives, forming a social information po-
tential. In the current circumstances, traditional methods of information dissemination 
lose their effectiveness.
Virtual Reading Rooms are emerging services which have largely grown out of the coro-
navirus pandemic. Although a pragmatic response to the closure, or partial closure, of 
buildings during various local, regional, and national lockdowns, virtual reading rooms 
have become established as bespoke research services through which archives can en-
gage with diverse groups of researchers. The majority of archives have created these 
services utilising affordable hardware and readily available software. Therefore the 
growing number of such services, would suggest that virtual reading rooms will contin-
ue to develop as valuable research services into the future.
REFERENCE LIST
Dictionary of Archives Terminology (2021), s.v. “Virtual Reading Room”. https://diction-
ary.archivists.org/entry/virtual-reading-room.html
The Virtual Reading Room Regulations of the National Library of Belarus (2021). 
National Library of Belarus. https://www.nlb.by/en/services/virtual-servic-
es/virtual-reading-room/about-the-virtual-reading-room/the-virtual-read-
ing-room-regulations-/ 
Launching a Virtual Reading Room of the Russian State Library (2021). Russian State Li-
brary. https://diss.rsl.ru/?menu=toclients&lang=en
Greenhall, M. (2021) New Frontiers of Digital Access: The development and delivery of 
Virtual Reading Rooms and Virtual Teaching Spaces amongst collection-holding 
institutions. https://www.rluk.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/RLUK-VRR-
and-VTS-report.pdf 
Хорунжий, В. П. (2012). Виртуальные читальные залы: перспективы развития 
информационного поля в образовании. [Paper presentation]. Актуальные 
проблемы социальной коммуникации: материалы третьей Всероссий-
ской научно-практической конференции, Нижний Новгород, Россия. 
https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=22436255&pff=1. [Khorunzhiy, V. P. (2012). 
Virtual reading rooms: prospects for the development of the information field in 
education. [Paper presentation]. Actual problems of social communication: mate-
rials of the third All-Russian scientific and practical conference, Nizhny Novgorod, 
Russia. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=22436255&pff=1].
Typology: 1.04 Professional article
VIRTUAL READING ROOMS IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ARCHIVES ALIYA MUSTAFINA