# How do obtain copies of old Soviet physics journal articles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 18, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661 "2011-12-18T19:34:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/1 "2011-12-18T19:34:40Z")
I have accumulated a number of references, to obscure physics journal articles published in the 1970’s in the Soviet Union. Does anyone know how I can find copies of the original (or translated) articles today? ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/2 "2011-12-18T20:04:34Z")
Have you asked your local university or state library if they: had a subscription for those journals back then and therefore have the bound volumes in their basement, or, if not, they can look at a database listing all journal subscriptions for all scientific libraries in your country, and then ask for copies of specific articles via Interlibrary loan (you usually have to pay the copy costs, and will need to either understand Russian or get a translator). ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/3 "2011-12-18T20:10:56Z")
You don’t need to go that deep to set up a joke. If it’s not for that purpose, I’m curious to know why you want access to them. Could you name the journals in question? I just Googled “soviet physics” and found some results. If it’s not obscure enough for you, perhaps you could ask those websites. Or you could email a physics student/teacher in Russia. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/4 "2011-12-18T20:12:04Z")
This [guy](http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=329701) says he can help. Here’s his [LinkedIn](http://ru.linkedin.com/pub/dmitriy-saraykin/35/213/26) profile. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/5 "2011-12-18T20:29:13Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > You don’t need to go that deep to set up a joke. Well, OP has been helped, so I believe its OK to tell the obvious joke you have, because it escapes me. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/6 "2011-12-18T20:31:25Z")
> [@Arkcon](#): > > Well, OP has been helped, so I believe its OK to tell the obvious joke you have, because it escapes me. I bet it starts with “In Soviet Russia..” ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/7 "2011-12-18T21:28:46Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > I have accumulated a number of references, to obscure physics journal articles published in the 1970’s in the Soviet Union. Does anyone know how I can find copies of the original (or translated) articles today? George Mason University’s library has a large collection of Russian-language works. You might try them. > **[George Mason University | A Top 50 Public R1 Research University](https://www.gmu.edu/)** > > George Mason University has become Virginia’s largest, most diverse, and highest-ranked university for innovation by rejecting the traditional university model of exclusivity. We proudly admit every student who is academically ready for our top-tier... ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/8 "2011-12-18T22:23:40Z")
I should note - I have had great success finding most Soviet journal articles online. There were a number of major journals that were archived internationally and are still available today, in library databases, etc. However, I have a few references to journals that I can find absolutely no record of even existing (except for other references to the same journals). Somehow these things were too esoteric to even make it out of the USSR, I guess. That guy on PhysicsForums looks like my best bet, thanks for pointing him out. ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/9 "2011-12-19T11:51:53Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > However, I have a few references to journals that I can find absolutely no record of even existing (except for other references to the same journals). Somehow these things were too esoteric to even make it out of the USSR, I guess. If you have information on Title of the Journal, place of publishing, Nr. and year of issue (to check with the starting date), you could check the [German database ZDB](http://dispatch.opac.ddb.de/DB=1.1/LNG=DU/SID=15889a46-11/SRT=YOP/LNG=EN/). It contains all journals collected in Germany (and thus available for International library loan). As long as it was an official journal and not “[Grey publishing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_literature)” I think there’s a good chance that these journals were collected outside the USSR, too, because Russia was a leading country in physics and math, and therefore of interest to scientists in the West. You could also always try contacting the research group etc. which published the journal originally. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/10 "2011-12-19T12:10:26Z")
The American Institute of Physics might be able to help. It’s likely AIP published an English translation edition of the Soviet physics journal you’re looking for. [http://www.aip.org/aip/contactus.jsp](http://www.aip.org/aip/contactus.jsp) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/11 "2011-12-19T13:16:47Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > I have accumulated a number of references, to obscure physics journal articles published in the 1970’s in the Soviet Union. Does anyone know how I can find copies of the original (or translated) articles today? There are several Soviet physics journals from the 1970os that may be obscure to the general public, but are pretty well-known to folks in physics. Any reasonably large college or university would have the actual journals in their collection, or else would have access to back issues via internet subscription. A great many of these are, of course, translated into english, so things like _Soviet Physics JETP_ or _Soviet Physics Doklady_ ought to be very easy to obtain. Even older works like _Izv. Akad Nauk. SSSR_ (which seems to have a zillion offshoots. It’s like _Proc. SPIE_ in the West ) are easily found ---
**Author:** ![Ex-Libris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecd19e/32.png) [@Ex-Libris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ex-Libris)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/12 "2012-09-14T13:27:34Z")
I may send you some of the articles via e-mail, if you are still interested in. ---
**Author:** ![gmysp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/57b2e6/32.png) [@gmysp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gmysp)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/13 "2015-02-22T08:26:53Z")
Please send a pdf scanned copy of the article **N.N. Bogolyubov Jr., Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. , Vol. 10, p. 243, (1970)** to **[gmyspin@gmail.com](mailto:gmyspin@gmail.com)**. Thanks a lot! ---
**Author:** ![gmysp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/57b2e6/32.png) [@gmysp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gmysp)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/14 "2015-02-22T08:28:32Z")
Please send a pdf scanned copy of the article N.N. Bogolyubov Jr., Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. , Vol. 10, p. 243, (1970) to [gmyspin@gmail.com](mailto:gmyspin@gmail.com). Thanks a lot! Edit/Delete Message ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/15 "2015-02-22T08:40:35Z")
> [@Fish\_Cheer](#): > > I bet it starts with “In Soviet Russia…” I don’t see the joke either. If it’s about the fact that those journals were published in Soviet Russia, then this is surely no basis for a joke. There was state-of-the-art research in the natural sciences, including physics, going on in the Soviet Union. The country was more secluded in publishing the results of this research, because the Soviet approach was to be very fast in declaring something a secret for military purposes; but there were, of course, journals where articles were published, and there’s no reason not to regard such a paper as citable simply because it’S Soviet in origin. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-obtain-copies-of-old-soviet-physics-journal-articles/606661/16 "2015-02-22T09:17:30Z")
> [@gmysp](#): > > Please send a pdf scanned copy of the article **N.N. Bogolyubov Jr., Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. , Vol. 10, p. 243, (1970)** to **[gmyspin@gmail.com](mailto:gmyspin@gmail.com)**. Thanks a lot! Ex-Libris only posted once, a year and a half ago. I think this request is unlikely to reach him or her.