ABSTRACT
The present territory of the republic of Moldova was part of the Principality of Moldavia, currently a province of Romania. This territory was annexed by USSR in 1940 and remained under Soviet dominance until 1991, when the country declared its independence from USSR. The establishment of cultural and educational institutions such as libraries, archives, and museums dates back to the early 1800s. The modest beginnings were followed by a period of development during the interwar period. After the country was annexed by USSR in 1940 and until 1991, when it became independent, the Soviet dominance took its toll on all of these institutions. Restricted access to information and rigid censorship became the norm and libraries, archives, and museums were turned by the communist regime into political propaganda tools aimed at supporting the government ideology. Today, these institutions are undergoing a slow process of modernization by opening their collections to the general public, by refocusing their missions, and by redefining their goals. While government financial support remains scarce, new legislation is being adopted in an attempt to align Moldovan libraries, archives, and museums with international standards.
