The article considers the personal contribution of the outstanding historian of the Russian middle ages Academician Mikhail Nikolaevich Tikhomirov to the national concept of documentary sources (book rarities) preservation. The scientist expressed a generalized view of historical science about how the work on the book heritage preservation at the national level had to be organized most effectively, systemically and “eco-friendly”. From the point of the present-day view on the practice of book rarities preservation in the Russian Federation, he justified the exceptional relevance and proposed the main principles of documents preservation, which are now basic at the law and library practice level.The historical science development determined the establishment of conservation centres in libraries, since a serious obstacle to historical research was the problem of poorly organized and, sometimes, careless storage of historical documents in libraries, museums and archives. In accord to the brief history of scientific conservation in Russia, this time is viewed as the beginning of the most active development of scientific conservation methods and their introduction into library practice.In the middle of the XX century, Tikhomirov proposed and formed the concept of book rarities preservation, consisting of such important components as: scientific research and popularization of book rarities and their value for the society, organization of public and state associations aimed at implementation of these tasks; search and collection of privately owned book rarities on the national scale (archeographic inspection of the territory of Russia), scientific publication of documents, catalogues of scientific descriptions compiling and forming the Union catalogue on their basis; scientific research of the material basis, conditions of ensuring physical safety and arrangement of work on book rarities preservation; legislative and regulatory support of all activities on book rarities preservation.
Central Research and Design Institute of the Ministry construction and housing and communal services of the Russian Federation. Scientific Research Institute of Theory and History of Architecture and town planning
