Central Laboratory for the Preservation of Documents of the National Archival Fund of the Republic of Belarus

Historical background

The Laboratory dates its origin from 1956, when the Central Laboratory for Microphotocopying and Restoration of Documentary Materials of the Central State Archives of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) was established at the Archival Administration of the Ministry of Interior of the BSSR. The main function of the laboratory was to ensure records preservation by means of their restoration, conservation, disinfection, microphotocopying, and binding.

In 1965, the laboratory was made a subdivision of the Central State Archives of Films, Photographs and Sound Recordings of the BSSR. 

In November 1985, to enhance the work for the preservation of archival records, the laboratory was reorganized as the Central Laboratory for Microphotocopying and Restoration of Records of the Central State Archives of the BSSR (from 1991, the Republic of Belarus), and received the status of an independent juridical entity.

In May 1993, the laboratory received its present name of the Central Laboratory for Microphotocopying and Restoration of Records of the National Archival Holdings of the Republic of Belarus.

Since December 7, 2000, the laboratory has been functioning under the name “State Institution “Central Laboratory for Microphotocopying and Restoration of Documents of the National Archival Fund of the Republic of Belarus”.

In 2007, the Charter of the state institution “Central Laboratory for Microphotocopying and Restoration of Documents of the National Archival Fund of the Republic of Belarus” was amended in the name of the institution (decision of the Minsk City Executive Committee dated 12.01.2007 No. 64) and the laboratory from that moment became known as the state institution “Central Laboratory of Microfilming and restoration of documents of the National Archival Fund of the Republic of Belarus”, abbreviated name – TsLMRD of the National Archival Fund of the Republic of Belarus.

In 2022, the Charter of the state institution “Central Laboratory for Microfilming and Restoration of Documents of the National Archival Fund of the Republic of Belarus” was amended in the name of the institution (decision of the Minsk City Executive Committee dated November 16, 2022) and the laboratory from that moment became known as the state institution “Central Laboratory for ensuring the safety of documents National Archival Fund of the Republic of Belarus”, abbreviated name – CLESD NAF of the Republic of Belarus.