«Student for a Week» at the Belarusian State Archives and Museum of Literature and Art (BSAMLI): BSU Applicants Learn About Archival Science

V.V.Birulya with young visitors to the BGAMLI.

On March 25, 2026, as part of the national «Archives for School» campaign, applicants participating in the Belarusian State University «Student for a Week» project visited the Belarusian State Archives and Museum of Literature and Art (hereinafter referred to as BSAMLI).

Vera Valentinovna Birulya, Head of the Information, Publication, and Use of Documents Department, and Dmitry Sergeyevich Samokhvalov, Leading Researcher, gave the guests a tour. The prospective students visited each department of the archive-museum and learned about its operations. This allowed them to experience the full life cycle of an archival document.

While learning about the work of the Organizational Archives and the Formation of the National Archives Department, as well as the Department of Scientific Description of Personal Documents, the project participants learned about the sources of the archive’s acquisitions and the intricacies of processing creative manuscripts and letters of famous cultural figures. The heads and leading archivists of the Document Preservation Department, the Information Retrieval Systems and Automated Archival Technologies Department, and the Information, Publication, and Use of Documents Department shared the specifics of their work: from creating special conditions for document preservation to digitizing and organizing archival exhibitions, presentations, scientific conferences, and publications.

Direct meetings with professionals helped applicants understand the importance of the archivist profession in preserving the national historical and cultural heritage and assess their future professional prospects.

1. D.S.Samakhvalov tells applicants about the history of the BGAMLI.

2. M.I.Pyshinskaya, Head of the Department of Archives of Organizations and Formations of the National Archives Foundation, reveals the secrets of working with renowned collection creators.

3. O.F.Shatalova, Head of the Department of Scientific Description of Personal Documents, introduces applicants to the specifics of processing creative manuscripts.

4. In the Department of Scientific Description of Personal Documents.

5. In the Department of Document Preservation.

6. In the Department of Information Retrieval Systems and Automated Archival Technologies.

7. Applicants tour the BGAMLI reading room.