Home – Home – Jornals – Humanitarian sciences in Siberia 2014 number

The article describes the Imperial Russian geographical society’s activities in the field of book trade; considers how the IRGS books were sold - on a commission basis, by subscription, on demand, or based on the non-store retailing when books were shipped via mail. The IRGS distributed periodicals and proceedings, part issues and cartographical editions. It is noted that multivolume works were on sale both as separate volumes and as complete sets. The printed editions could be also distributed in parts - as separate offprints. The IRGS sold not only its own editions but also books published by its provincial branches. The author describes specifics of the IRGS book trade that was based on opening its own book-selling enterprises - book warehouses. The IRGS growing involvement into the book trade is proven by its activities in the field of book advertisement. In order to increase the total volume of book sales the IRGS practiced an exchange of announcements informing the reading public about the recently released books, how they could be bought or subscribed to. Book-selling lists became another type of advertising its book production. The author comes to an important conclusion that the IRGS book production enjoyed popularity and was distributed both in Russian Empire and abroad. The author states that the economic upturn in Russia in the second half of the XIX - early XX centuries had positive impact on the IRGS book-selling activities while the military and revolutionary events led to deterioration of economic situation and negatively affected this sector of book trade.