The paper discusses main directions of possible development of the InterAgency Russian Digital Libraries Programme. These are as follows: creation of a network and high-performance computing infrastructure for operating superlarge information arrays, up-building of most valuable collections of electronic documents for science, culture and education.

A special attention is given to the concept of the Programme, to general issues of creation and functioning of electronic libraries, to DL research and to the development of appropriate tools. There are being touched upon organisation and management problems related to digital libraries, legal and economic aspects of their creation and use, security issues, standards of electronic information representation.

The authors offer approaches to co-ordination of activities of various state agencies and organisations involved in the Programme as well as mechanisms of interaction and financing of co-operative projects aimed at creating and use of digital libraries in Russia.

There are also being considered ways of international co-operation within the InterAgency Russian Digital Libraries Programme and similar national and international programmes.