Editor-in-Chief

Tatiana Viktorovna Ershova

Before the Institute was established, T.V. Ershova had worked in library sphere for 12.5 years. Throughout these years, she has risen from a frontline employee up to deputy director of the world’s second-largest library – Russian State Library (RSL). During 1996, she was managing the Library as acting director.

She has a vast experience of practical management of professional teams from 20, 75, 200 up to 2500 employees, as well as development and implementation of conceptual documents, large-scale initiatives and projects.

In particular, with the assistance of UNESCO, she managed development of the Russian State Library Modernization Strategy, “Memory of Russia” Initiative and the Russian State Library Modernization Programme, and agreement of these with the Russian Ministry of Culture; she was actively involved in developing the Concept of Moscow’s Move to the Information Society (approved by the Mayor of Moscow July 20, 2001) and Electronic Moscow City Target Program (launched in 2003, with a new version approved in 2008). She also managed implementation of the project of research guidance support of electronic library development and use in Russia (financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research); Russian Development Portal project (financial support of infoDev Initiative of the World Bank, Development Gateway Foundation and the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia) has been implemented since 2001, republic-level target program “Development and Use of ICTs in the Republic of Tatarstan” ("Electronic Tatarstan" 2008 – 2010) was developed (as approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan July 17, 2008).

T.V. Ershova was actively involved in operations of a range of professional NGOs: UNESCO’s International Expert Panel of RSL Modernization (panel member), RSL Academic Board (member and chairman of the Board), Expert Panel of LibWeb, interagency project of network integration of electronic information resources of leading Russian libraries and information centers (panel member), Moscow City Duma’s Public Expert Council for Development of the Information Society (chairman of the commission for strategic issues of Moscow integration in the information society), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) (member of the regular committee of a number of panels), international jury of Stockholm Challenge, the global competition of ICT applications for development, international jury of Global Junior Challenge, competition of children and youth-oriented ICT projects. Currently, she is a member of the team of senior advisers of the Global Alliance for ICT and Development initiated by the United Nations Secretary-General.

She is an author of over 130 publications in Russian, foreign and international editions dedicated to librarianship and information society development. Her publications and editor works include books and collections of articles. She is a member of the Union of Russian Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists. In the beginning of 2009, she was appointed for the position of the editor-in-chief of “Information Society” research and analytical journal.

In 2001, she initiated establishment of the Russian E-Development Partnership (PRIOR), which is a voluntary association of organizations and individuals joining their efforts and resources to achieve common goals such as dynamical and full-fledged development of Russia in the context of global information society and shaping knowledge-based economy in Russia. She is a head of PRIOR Directorate, and a member of the Coordination Board and Supervisory Board of the Partnership.

T.V. Ershova graduated from the Moscow State Pedagogical Maurice Torez Institute of Foreign Languages (currently, Moscow Linguistic University), and RSL Higher Library Courses, passed two-years’ training in Mortenson Center for International Library Programs (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA), passed advanced professional training in many countries worldwide.

She is fluent in German and English, has basic knowledge of Italian and Latin. She has three adult children and five grandchildren. Her hobbies include high-quality belles-lettres, dancing, cooking and handicraft.

Personal website: www.TatianaErshova.ru