IREX (International Research and Exchanges Board)

Contact

1275 K Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington DC 20005
202-628-8188
https://www.irex.org/

Notes

Since 1968 American scholars in the Russian/ Soviet field have been studying in the Soviet Union under the auspices of this organization (while their Soviet counterparts come here). In the course of their work, the researchers have examined large amounts of material on virtually all subjects, in a variety of archives and repositories. Many of them have brought back from their stays reproductions of these Soviet archival materials. Taken altogether, these photocopies and microfilm holdings may well represent one of the greatest resources in this country. But until now there has been no central record of which materials are in the U.S. Access to these items is enormously difficult, since they are in the hands of working scholars. Some years ago IREX attempted to compile a directory of these holdings, but responses to the circular inquiry were minimal. IREX is again planning to identify the materials that American scholars have used and duplicated. More information about this undertaking is available from the IREX staff, particularly the section how headed by Dorothy Knapp.

Other files and reports maintained by IREX that could be of interest to a researcher studying U.S.-Soviet exchange programs are generally kept confidential. However, some in-house reports are available for outside distribution. One current example is a bibliographic project that lists participants' published works based on research in the USSR. In addition, there are ways in which IREX can bring together researchers in fields of mutual interest. Thus, it might be possible to locate especially relevant duplicated materials in the U.S. on an individual basis, independent of the planned directory of such holdings. Such requests for specific information should again be directed to Dorothy Knapp.

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