Libraries for visually impaired people as a component of lifelong education system and a factor of increasing the quality of socio-educational and socio-cultural services

the article analyzes social, cultural and educational functions of modern libraries for visually impaired people. The paper considers specialized libraries as a component of lifelong learning system. The author identifies the factors that contribute to the expansion of educational and socio-cultural environment for visually impaired people in modern Russia. It includes the regulatory framework of social service improvement, implementation of regional socio-cultural programs, system of training blind and visually impaired people to work in a new information environment, etc. Through the example of St. Petersburg State Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired as well as some other regional libraries, the author shows the wide range of their interaction with people. The article demonstrates: multifunctionality of libraries as social, cultural and educational institutions; their focus on different activities (training, education, leisure of the visually impaired, training and continuing professional education of specialists and librarians working with them); and different age of visually impaired people. Modern libraries are currently in a position when they can and should have a systemic impact on the development and education of not only visually impaired people, but also a broad range of professionals, social workers and volunteers working in the field of education for people with health problems.